Authors Note: I realize that the Swastika is a controversial symbol offensive to many but the goal of this article is not to promote fascism, any modern day western connotations or offend any cultures. This article explores the historic Worldwide use of the Swastika (positive & negative) through recorded facts.

In all honesty I cannot give an accurate account for the history of this symbol because there are so many different interpretations, myths, legends and stories about its use but the below account is what I have summarized as the probably the Worlds greatest logo.

The beginning of the Swastika.

The swastika has been used by many countries, religions and cultures throughout the thousands of years it’s been in existence. It’s first appearance came through Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, deriving from the Sanskrit text which is recorded as the oldest and only written text to make authentic use of the symbol and term “Swastika” to represent good luck.

Since its origination the symbol has been recreated Worldwide, century after century under various names as a strong symbol of “good”. Its sheer precise over usage makes it (IMHO) possibly the greatest logo of all time. How can you argue with the opinion of a thousand generations?

Today the Swastika is commonly associated as an icon of the Nazi’s movement and it’s pretty hard not to see it in any other light. Hitler used the symbol with such power that the once good hearted and loved Swastika now has a bad stereotype by no fault of its own.

Its still used today by old and new religions in the same manner and being of Hindu descent myself I’m probably a little more familiar with seeing it with both (western & eastern) associations.

I remember a friend of mine (when I was a ladsmile) asking why I had a swastika in my house. I had of course seen the German Swastika but at that age was not entirely sure what it was. I had already unconsciously made a graphically connection between the two versions but never really gave it a second thought. Not until my friend asked me that question did I raise my own questions and realized that I have a Swastika hanging in my house. (I thought, “Where the Nazi’s Hindu’s?” lol).

Soon enough my questions on the German Swastika were answered in History lesson and the Hindu version became apparent at home.

Who used it, where and when?

I knew that Germany and India used the Swastika but not until recently did I relaise that at some point or another its been used by the U.S., China, Russia, Finland and literally every country in the World (even England) with their own interpretation. This again reinforces the point that it must be considered as the world’s greatest logo. How can you argue with the whole World?
So why is the Swastika such a popular symbol? Overall it stands as generically the most positive image in the World of all time. Most people used it for that reason except for Hitler and in doing so he ruined it.

• The British author Rudyard Kipling, who was strongly influenced by Indian culture, had a swastika on the dust jackets of all
his books until the rise of Nazism.

• Swastikas also appear on the vestments on the effigy of Bishop William Edington in Winchester Cathedral.

• In September 2007 the United States Navy announced it would spend $600,000 to “camouflage” a barrack at the Naval
Amphibious Base Coronado near San Diego, so that it would no longer resemble a swastika from the air.

• Native American basketball team in 1909.

• The swastika shape was used by some Native Americans. It has been found in excavations of Mississippian-era sites in
the Ohio valley.

• A controversy arose in Maasmechelen, Belgium, when Google Earth users found that a 27 year old fountain at the city
council office looks like a swastika from the air. As a result the mayor said he would replace it

• The bronze frontspiece of a ritual pre-Christian (ca 350-50 BC) shield found in the River Thames near Battersea Bridge
(hence “Battersea Shield”) is embossed with 27 swastikas in bronze and red enamel.

• An Ogham stone found in Anglish, Co Kerry was modified into an early Christian gravestone, and was decorated with a
cross pattée and two swastikas.

• At the Northern edge of Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, there is a swastika-shaped pattern engraved in a stone known as
the Swastika Stone.

• In Christianity, the swastika is sometimes used as a hooked version of the Christian Cross, the symbol of Christ’s victory
over death.

• Some Christian churches built in the Romanesque and Gothic eras are decorated with swastikas, carrying over earlier
Roman designs.

• Iranian neckalace found from Kaluraz in the first millennium BC marked with several swaskitkas

• The swastika symbol was found extensively in the ruins of the ancient city of Troy and can also be found in some of the
mosaics in the ruins of Pompeii.

• A meander of connected swastikas makes up the large band that surrounds the Augustan Ara Pacis.

• A design of interlocking swastikas is one of several tessellations on the floor of the cathedral of Amiens, France.

• In Hinduism, the two symbols represent the two forms of the creator god Brahma: facing right it represents the evolution of
the universe, facing left it represents the involution of the universe.

• The Hindu deity Ganesh is often shown sitting on a lotus flower on a bed of swastikas.

• The swastika is found all over Hindu temples, Hindu weddings, festivals, ceremonies, houses and doorways, clothing and
jewelry, motor transport and even decorations on food items such as cakes and pastries.

• “Swastika” is a prominent literary magazine in Kolkata (Calcutta) is called the Swastika.

• In 1922, the Chinese Syncretist movement Daoyuan founded the philanthropic association Red Swastika Society in
imitation of the Red Cross. The association was very active in China during the 1920s and the 1930s.

• Swastikas are prominently displayed in a mosaic in the St. Sophia church of Kiev, Ukraine dating from the 12th century.
They also appear as a repeating ornamental motif on a tomb in the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan.

• The stole worn by a priest in the 1445 painting of the Seven Sacraments by Roger van der Weyden presents the swastika
form simply as one way of depicting the cross.

• The Swastika is clearly marked on a hilt and sword belt found at Bifrons in Kent, in a grave of about the sixth century.

• In the 19th century the swastika was one of the Russian empire’s symbols; it was even placed in coins as a background to
the Russian eagle

• All the Unit Colours of the Finnish Air Force feature the same basic design, with a swastika as a central element. This is
the Unit Colour of the Finnish Air Force Academy.

• Latvia adopted the swastika, called the Ugunskrusts (“fire cross”), for its air force in 1918/1919 and continued its use until
1940.

• The use of the swastika in conjunction with any other Nazi allusion, and also its manufacture, distribution or broadcasting,
is a crime as dictated by law 7.716/89 from 1989. The penalty is a fine and two to five years in prison.

• The Swastika Laundry, founded in Dublin in 1912, used a swastika in a white circle on a red background as its corporate
colour scheme until it was bought over by a rival in the late 1960s.

• Boy Scouts at the prewar (1937) national Scout jamboree in Washington, D.C., using swastikas as part of their Native
American portrayal

• The swastika symbol was popular as a good luck or religious/spiritual symbol in the United States

• The Raëlian Movement, who believe that Extra-Terrestrials originally created all life on earth, use a symbol that is often the
source of considerable controversy: an interlaced Star of David and a Swastika.

• Tantra-based religious movement Ananda Marga uses a motif similar to the Raëlians, but in their case the apparent star of
David is defined as intersecting triangles with no specific reference to Jewish culture

• It was also a symbol used by the scouts in Britain

• During World War I, the swastika was used as the emblem of the British National War Savings Committee.

• The Swedish company ASEA, now a part of Asea Brown Boveri, used the swastika in its logo from the 1800s to 1933,
when it was removed from the logo.

• The Icelandic Steamship Company, Eimskip (founded in 1914) used a swastika in its logo until recently.

• In Windsor, Nova Scotia, there was an ice hockey team from 1905-1916 named the Swastikas, and their uniforms featured
swastika symbols. There were also hockey teams named the Swastikas in Edmonton, Alberta (circa 1916), and Fernie,
British Columbia (circa 1922).

Above are just a few of the thousand recorded facts that I found and its quite amazing how so many people are intrigued by this symbol. Is it the Worlds greatest logo?

The Nazi movement obviously shrowded this symbol with evil and reduced its relevance as the Worlds favourite logo but nether the less many have overcome the modern day stereotype and still use it in its original form for both old and new cultures.
The Swastika has managed to stand the test of time and come through to the 21st century in its natural form. INMHO it can be seen as the World’s favourite logo design.

Reading through Simon Singhs “The code book” I learnt several ways of encrypting and ciphering messages. Since the beginning of time people have used words, symbols and pictures to carry messages whether it be secretly, subliminally or publicly. The book also noted how a codemaker is usually the best person to use when it comes to code breaking.
Unless you’re a secret agent, programmer, historian or detective I guess there’s not much need for the knowledge of deciphering code in today’s world, or is there? Everyday we are surrounded by thousands of pieces of code, in fact there is one underneath your nose right now. Look at the bottom of your monitor screen and you will see one there, the logo for the manufacturer of your monitor.
Logos are indeed pieces of code just like Egyptian hieroglyphs. Symbols and images used to communicate a message but also carry an identity. You may not understand, ancient Egypt, French, German or the Hindi language but if you saw a piece of text you could probably guess where the language originated from (like a corporate identity).
Logos are just the same and here are some examples of deciphering them.

Adidas –
The original adidas logo (three stripes) was an attempt to create a big brand presence in the 1900’s by Adi Dassler himself. He wanted everyone to know which trackstar was unmistakably wearing his shoes and thus branded them with 3 stripes. He even said himself it was “the brand with three stripes”.
In due time Adidas become bigger and bolder with a strong reputation and went onto create the Trefoil logo showing the diversity in the Adidas brand.
Today’s logo is much like the original, three stripes but in this case they take a specific formation.
Decipher: Today’s three stripes form in a shape of a mountain, signifying the challenges and rewards in life (climbing a mountain.)

BMW –
A controversial logo which still holds confusion today. The Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) has its place in history tied in with the World Wars. One story tells the logo originating before world war 1 as a rotating plane propeller set off a blue clear sky (hence the coloured segments). It was also said that BMW started business making Luffwafe fighter planes which were decorated in the same blue and white colours. Adverts for BMW even used this imagery for publicity but ultimately they claim that this not the case. The other story which BMW claims is true is that the logo is an ode to Bavaria (blue and white flag), the HQ of BMW.
BMW themselves say that the logo was created 6 months before they had ever created any plane components and the signature rotating propeller which backs up the World War story, was not even a component that they made.

Next time you see a logo see if you can decipher it. Even better, when you have your logo designed (or redesigned (just give me a call) see what code you can implement into it.