In the post-war era, few have preserved the occult spirit of Nazism like Savitri Devi – a Hitler-devotee, a prolific writer, a cat lover, and a cult figure among Neo-Nazi groups. A story on a Nazi associate dressed in a sari, who found an unexpected home in India.
However, she was not Indian. Born prematurely in 1905 as Maximiani Julia Portas in Lyon, her life took a remarkable trajectory vividly documented by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke in the celebrated book “Hitler’s Priestess.”
A woman of intellect, Maximiani was deeply rooted in philosophy and chemistry, having earned multiple master’s degrees and a PhD from the University of Lyon. Her inquisitive mind led her to explore the ancient ruins of Greece, where she drew connections to Aryan origins.
Her early political inclinations leaned towards Greek nationalism. However, her journey took an unexpected turn in 1928 when she renounced her French citizenship and embraced Greek nationality, eventually declaring herself a Nazi during a pilgrimage to Palestine in 1929.
So, when and how did she transform into Savitri Devi? Her inspiration stemmed from her admiration for Aryan culture, with India being the sole location outside Germany where she believed Aryan heritage was preserved.
In 1932, driven by a quest for a living Aryan culture, Maximiani Portas set off for India. Embracing Hinduism, she adopted the name “Savitri Devi”. Her mission in India was to advocate against Judaism and Christianity, while supporting Hindu nationalism.
She insisted on not being called “Mrs. Devi.” “Devi” is a title for Hindu women of the Brahmin or Kshatriya caste. In her view, many Indian women of non-Aryan castes adopt the title without the traditional right; instead, they should use “Dasi,” meaning servant or slave.
The 1930s found her engaged in pro-Axis propaganda, working as a travelling lecturer for the Hindu Mission. Her version of racialist Hinduism mirrored her Nazi beliefs, drawing parallels between the Nazi symbol and the swastika—a tangible link between Hitler and Hinduism.
In her writing, she admired Hinduism:”Hinduism is really superior to other religions, not for its spirituality, but for that still more precious thing it gives to its followers: a scientific outlook on religion and on life. ”
Fascinated by the caste system, Savitri regarded it as the Aryan archetype for racial laws intended to maintain racial purity. In her book, “A Warning to the Hindus,” she aimed to advance Indian nationalism through the lens of Nazi ethics featuring a foreword by GD Savarkar.
When she asked if she could refer Hitler and Mein Kampf in her lectures, she received an unexpected reply from Swami Satyananda, president of the Hindu Mission. They regarded Hitler as an incarnation of Vishnu, granting Savitri Devi a free pass for the propaganda.
Savitri Devi held the belief that Adolf Hitler served as the western Aryan counterpart to Rama and Krishna, revered figures of Hinduism. In her eyes, the Nazi SS Police symbolised a contemporary manifestation of the ancient Aryan warrior code detailed in the Bhagavad Gita.
In 1940, largely to evade deportation for her pro-Axis activities, Savitri married Asit Krishna Mukherji, editor of the Nazi journal New Mercury. Throughout the war, the couple gathered intelligence for the Axis powers.
The fall of the Third Reich in 1945 left Savitri devastated. Undeterred, she returned to Europe with a mission – the restoration of the fallen regime. Corresponding with Nazi enthusiasts worldwide, she steadfastly denied the Holocaust, claiming it to be untrue.
In 1948, Savitri managed to enter Germany. Dressed in a sari, adorning swastika earrings, she defiantly distributed thousands of pro-Nazi leaflets, wrapped little gifts, with a message of hope: “One day we shall rise and triumph again! Hope and wait! Heil Hitler!”
Through her deification of Hitler and National Socialism, Savitri Devi became a leading figure in the international neo-Nazi underground from 1960s onward, attaining cult status by the 1980s.
After her death, Savitri’s ashes found an unconventional resting place: in the headquarters of the American Nazi Party in Virginia at the Nazi Hall of Fame.
This photo from her memorial service, draped in a ceremonial sash worn by Adolf Hitler, captures her polarising legacy.
Source:
SAVITRI DEVI, WOMAN AGAINST TIME, BIOGRAPHY AND COLLECTION OF LETTERS AND ARTICLES.
Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, Hitler’s Priestess: Savitri Devi The Hindu Aryan Myth And Neo Nazism, New York University Press.
Savitri Devi, A Warning to Hindus.
Savitri Devi Archive.
