1. The Swastika and the Star of David
By Group Six

2. World War II Battle between Allied Forces & Axis Powers
Fought on Western & Eastern Front

3. Allied Forces

4. Axis Powers

5. German Power

6. Holocaust

7. Opposing Symbols
Swastika Star of
David

8. Swastika: Two Kinds
Left Right-
Hand Hand

9. Left-Hand: darkness, force
Ex: Hindu death goddess Kali

10. Right-Hand: fortune, longevity
Ex: gentle god Buddha

11. Buddhists, Hindus, Tibetans
Footprints of Buddha – good fortune
Used in inscriptions & accounts
Wan (10,000) – abundance
Used to mark doors

12. Navajo Indians Symbol of sun and fire
Medicine men use in healing rites
Boys shave on heads
Basketball team uniforms

13. WWI – Americans and Finnish soldiers
Swedish & Danish companies
Nepal voter ballots
Philadelphia Museum of Art / Capitol Building

15. German Pride Rotated right-hand swastika – Aryan race superiority
Symbol on Nazi flag and of Nazi party
Armbands, badges, posters

16. Anti-Jewish Symbol
In concentration camps
Racist writings

17. Negative Symbol Today (neo-Nazi)

18. Star of David
Used in antiquity – for protection, luck
Amulets

19. Sacred symbol, found in cathedrals and graves

20. Jewish Symbol Jews in Prague made it official symbol
Magen David (magen = shield)
Literal: shield of King David
Metaphorical: God (Protector)

21. Mystical Meaning 3 entities: God, Torah (book), Israel
7 virtues: Kindness, Severity, Harmony, Perseverance, Splendor, Foundation, and Royalty

22. Tragic Meaning in Nazi Holocaust
Jews forced to wear Star on their clothing for ID

23. On Stores - Discrimination

24. Holocaust
Humiliation
Discrimination
Segregation
Persecution

25. Symbol of Hope Germany lost war Jews built homeland (Israel)
On Israeli flag

26. Israeli Red Cross
Strength
Faith
Hope

27. Similarities Both originated in ancient times
Both widely used by various cultures
Both originally meant fortune, prosperity,
well-being

28. Differences
Swastika – symbol of Nazis: superiority of Aryan race, inferiority of Jews
Star of David – symbol of Jews: faith in God, persecution by Nazis

29. Today Swastika – negative symbol – neo-Nazi racism (hate groups)
Star of David – positive symbol – Jewish solidarity and identity