Black Sun
The Black Sun (German: Schwarze Sonne) is a type of sun wheel (German: Sonnenrad) symbol originating in Nazi Germany and later employed by neo-Nazis and other far-right individuals and groups. The symbol’s design consists of six radial SS logos. It first appeared in Nazi Germany as a design element in a castle at Wewelsburg remodeled and expanded by the head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, which he intended to be a center for the SS. The symbol appeared nowhere else in Nazi Germany.
It is unknown whether the design had a name or held any particular significance among the SS. Its contemporary association with the occult originates with a 1991 German novel, Die Schwarze Sonne von Tashi Lhunpo (The Black Sun of Tashi Lhunpo), by the pseudonymous author Russell McCloud. The book links the Wewelsburg mosaic with the neo-Nazi concept of the “Black Sun”, invented by former SS officer Wilhelm Landig as a substitute for the Nazi swastika.
The Neo-Nazi Symbol
Meaning: A symbol with a central circle and twelve radiating, pointed oval rays.
Origin: While sometimes mistakenly linked to the Nazi era, its modern meaning was promoted by former SS officer Wilhelm Landig as a mystical energy source and a substitute for the swastika.
Use: It is used by neo-fascists, neo-Nazis, and far-right groups to promote white supremacist ideologies.
Alchemical Sol niger
Meaning: In alchemical and Hermetic traditions, the “Sol niger” (black sun) refers to the first stage of the magnum opus, or alchemical process, known as nigredo.
Concept: It represents a stage of blackness and decay from which a new beginning can emerge.