Swastika Quilt Block
and The History of this Design
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
by Patricia Lynne Grace Cummings
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Swastika quilt block, hand-pieced, made by Wilma Snowbarger, Sylvia, Kansas vicinity, early twentieth century. photo courtesy of Linda Laird.
To most people, the Swastika symbol, as seen above, is reprehensible, and a grim reminder of the Holocaust.
Jerry Mount, a World War II veteran from New Jersey is holding a Nazi flag confiscated at the Remagen Bridge in Germany; and on the couch is a second (red background) flag, taken at the Battle of the Bulge. We very much appreciate this photo for this important file about the swastika symbol and its many meanings.
Information about the photo above, sent by Carol Grace, on June 7, 2009:
Near the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, around Dec. 23-24, the Germans attacked the town of Laglieze. The US troops (3rd Armored Div., 82nd Airborne Div., and 30th Infantry Div.) stopped the Germans at the town of Laglieze. The enemy troops were a German battle group called Kampf Grup Peiper who committed the Malmady Massacre where 86 American prisoners were killed before they moved on to Trois Pont and Laglieze. Peiper's supply columns were destroyed by the 3rd Armored Division's Task Force Lovelady (which included DH and his Unit), and after that Peiper had to abandon all their vehicles and equipment. They walked out on Christmas eve, infiltrating through the existing American lines back to re-join the German columns that were south of Trois Pont. The flag was taken from a building in Laglieze by Jerry Mount whose unit, the 634th AAA, entered the town when the fighting slowed down. (This is the big flag).
Letter that Prompted This Research File
On May 1, 2009, I received a letter from a very upset woman who was under the impression that quilt book writer, Maggie Malone, personally named a quilt block, "Swastika." Please use the search function on my blog to see my blog entry on May 1, 2009.
I do not own a copy of the book mentioned, but I do have Ms. Malone's book titled, 5,500 Quilt Block Designs (NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., n.d.), in which there is a drawn image of a "Swastika" block on pages 101, and a list of previously published names for the geometric configuration, on pages 100-101.
Swastika quilt block, also known as: Battle Ax of Thor, Catch Me If You Can, Chinese 10,000 Perfections, Devil's Dark Horse, Devil's Puzzle, favorite of the Peruvians, Flyfoot, Heart's Seal, Indian Emblem, Mound Builders, Pure Symbol of Right Doctrine, Spider, Virginia Reel, Wind Power of the Osages, Winding Blades, Whirligig, and Zig Zag.
Origins of the Swastika Symbol
Long before Hitler adopted the "Hakenkreuz" (hooked cross) as a symbol of Aryan racial supremacy in 1919, the swastika had great meaning in other cultures over time. Under the despotic dictator, in 1935, the national flag of Germany consisted of a black swastika within a white circle, on a red background.
These are 6fp postage stamps of Nazi Germany's Third Reich and are more than 67 years old. Photo courtesy of eBay seller, "Silverbeard."
Swastika Has Roots in the Stone Age
The Swastika symbol spans at least 3,000 years and has been found on Neolithic rock carvings. The word "Neolithic" refers to the last years of the Stone Age, in the Middle East, circa 9500 BCE. An additional early sighting is a swastika that was carved into a runic stone in Sweden.
The swastika quilt above dates from 1860-1880. The owner states that the quilt is hand-quilted at 9 stitches per inch. The gold color is fugitive and cannot be washed. This is a great example of a pre-Hitler quilt of this type. photo courtesy of Delaine.
Sanskrit for Well-Being
The Sanskrit word "svastika" (notice the different spelling) means well-being. The origin of the Sanskrit word consists of three parts: "su" which means "good; "asti" which means "to be", and the suffix (gerund), "ka."
This swastika quilt, according to eBay seller "victoria7384," is a Native American quilt that was made in the early 1900s. With 30 blocks, it measures 78" x 64" and features fabrics primarily in red, blue, black, and yellow. eBay auction #260404744592. photo courtesy of the seller.
Another Swastika Quilt - With Blocks Set On Point
A second antique quilt measures 76" square and has feedsack cloth on the back. The owner had guessed that the quilt was made in the 1930s or 1940s. The blocks are set on point, and were sewn by hand. Orange-plaid fabric stripes, as well as squares of the same cloth, divide the blocks. The squares themselves are in light blue and light green hues with the main motif (swastika symbol) being pieced on with small, figural (background) prints that appear to be nineteenth century (1800s) prints, from what I could see in the photos sent by Nancy.
This swastika design does not appear sinister at all in its pastel hues. I suspect that this quilt was made at the turn of the century or early 20th century, perhaps as a "good luck" quilt. The orange plaid fabric, used for stripes and intersections draws the quilt together, design-wise, in an appealing fashion.
This close-up, taken in less amenable lighting conditions, shows some of the shirting prints that led me to believe that this quilt was either pieced from some nineteenth century scraps, for the backgrounds, and was made at the turn of the century, or shortly thereafter. photo courtesy of "Nancy." Again, she is offering this quilt on eBay.
Swastika Symbol of Fertility
In India, the word symbolized fertility and good fortune and continues in use, today. Originally, the swastika was primarily an ancient solar symbol. According to the book, Signs and Symbols: An Illustrated Guide to Their Meanings and Origins (NY: Barnes and Noble, 1996), the swastika has taken on many other meanings. This symbol is part of the Greek tradition to honor Zeus, Helios, and other deities. For the Celts and Scandanavian people, the swastika represented Thor, the god of air, thunder, and lightening. "Battle Axe of Thor," is one of the quilt block names mentioned in Maggie Malone's list.
This photo shows four quilts put together by Vermont quilter,Charlotte Croft, with quilt blocks left by the mother of her Aunt Pat Mitchell. "The blocks were made long before World War II," Croft says. The three quilts that have already been finished were given to family members who refused them, and a fourth quilt is in progress for yet another family member. The connection of the swastika symbol with evil is just too overwhelming to people today. Yet, remember, it was not always that way!
Swastika Symbol Adopted by Ancient Peoples
In Europe, there are extant bronze pottery pieces that feature the swastika symbol. Bronze objects were made by the Ashanti, with the same symbol. The swastika sign has been seen among extant art objects of the Mayan people of Mexico, as well as the Navajo Native Americans.
Close-up of a book cover published in February 1930 by Pitt L. Fitzgerald, Columbus, Ohio. This is a novel involving Native Americans, and the swastika symbol appears on a number of its pages, sometimes two of them at the top of the page. photo courtesy of Karen Alexander
Swastika: A Symbol of Christ and His Church
To early Christians, the swastika was the symbol of Christ himself, as the cornerstone of the church. Indeed, in the United Church of Christ building dome in Providence, Rhode Island, there are swastikas featured, along with other symbols of Christianity.
During the Middle Ages, the swastika, called the fylfot (similar to the word Flyfoot, listed above as a name), was used to "fill the foot" of stained glass windows in churches. According to an about.com hostess for 1900s history, "fylfot" is an English term; "wan" is its Chinese equivalent; and in Greece, it is known as both tetraskelion and gammadion. Swastika is a symbol in music called a tetraskelion that means "repeat," and is written as :l: or :ll:.
Other Major Religions Adopt Swastika Symbol
To those who practice Hinduism or Buddhism, the swastika symbol had essential meaning. The Buddhist footprint, depicted artistically, possesses these symbols: the fish, swastika, diamond mace, conch shell, flower vase, and crown of Brahma, as well as the Wheel of Law. The idea is that if one follows in Buddha's footsteps, he will become enlightened.
For Wiccans, the swastika symbol is also known as Brigit's Cross. Brigit, a Celtic goddess, is also known as Brig or Briga. More about this Cross of Irish connections can be read on this file.
A large swastika appears on this German silver (Nazi) coin worth 5 Mark, made in 1939. photo courtesy of eBay seller oldtimer_red. The person who is selling the coin pictured above wrote to say that Hitler thought he was of direct Roman descent. Interesting!
Counter-clockwise Swastika Associated with Devil
The "anti-clockwise" swastika is known as the "swavastika" and connotes evil. That is probably the reason for all of the alternate names for the quilt block that mention the devil, "Devil's Puzzle," etc.
A counter-clockwise version "sauvastika" has traditionally connoted "bad luck," although both versions of the swastika have been used interchangeably to the point that there is no decided and definite meaning to either.
More Swastika Sightings
Stephanie Whitson writes that a Basque cemetery in France has tombstones with swastikas, symbols of good luck. She adds that a Girl Scout troop in the United States, in the early 1900s used the swastika as a logo, and finally, she states that someone she knows has an early swastika quilt, made before the time Hitler converted the meaning of the symbol into the one we most commonly know today.
Antique flannel with swastika and Native American images for good luck. photo courtesy of Stephanie Whitson
"Swastika" Quilt Removed From Restaurant
Sandra Starley states that a circa 1900 swastika quilt was removed from a restaurant at Stone Mtn., Georgia, in the mistaken belief that it was made in support of Nazis (although the quilt pre-dated that era). Sandra, a certified appraiser, says that it is important to educate the public about the block’s history. "History shouldn’t be whitewashed or edited for political correctness. The swastika has long been a powerful symbol which is why the Nazis appropriated it. Quilts made using that block pattern before the 1930’s should not be denigrated or hidden as they have nothing to do with Nazis."
Thank you to those who have commented. I hope that photos of quilts or quilt blocks, information, and more thoughts will be sent to me to be added to this file. Feel free to write to us at: pat@quiltersmuse.com
Quilt Examples Online
To see some examples of quilts made with this block, please visit The Quilt Index and key in "swastika" as your search.
The International Quilt Study Center has one Swastika in its database, titled, "Flyfoot," red motifs on a white background, circa 1920-1940, maker unknown, acquisition #2001.002.0001.
Additional Facts Found Online at These Sites on May 2, 2009
Both the Hindu form and the Nazi coloration of the swastika symbol are unlawful in modern day Germany.
There are many variations in the drawing of the swastika. Some lines curve. Sometimes, dots are added, and as we have already stated, the orientation of the four bent edges of a cross can differ.
I hope that it is a relief to the reader that no evil intentions are present when historians, quilt historians, and book authors just do their work of reporting the facts. All is well that ends well.
May 4, 2009 - A reader wrote to mention that The Basque Cross, called Lau-Buru, is a variation of the swastika design. It is used on jewelry, on buildings in the Basque country, etc., and it means "the four heads."
A friend revealed that she has come across many nineteenth century, swastika quilts for brides. Since the symbol meant "good luck," it was a welcome change from the traditional horseshoe that represented the same wish.
~ ~
Letter from Jackie Joy:
First she states that she found some jewelry online with the Lau-Buru, and a table runner with the same symbol (which is gorgeous, by the way, in red and green).
Then Jackie states:
"And what of the LAUBURU? Is it going to be a crime to
display this quintessential Basque symbol? Will the Guardia Civil be
sent round all the old cemeteries to sandpaper it off gravestones? Will
householders be forced to scrape it off their walls and doorways?
What will happen to that householder in Brockham, Surrey, who has a giant LAUBURU above his front bedroom window?
Is
it not time to reclaim the swastika? For most of its history, as the
Hindus remind us, it was a symbol of peace, not war. My Roman swastika
broach, which I bought in a junk shop, was never worn by a Nazi.
The Basques were the very first victims of the Nazi war machine. The criminalisation of their symbol is a dastardly slur.
The
European Community has no competence in criminal justice, but the
European Union does. Only an inter-governmental conference can insist
that member states adopt these laws, and even then they cannot be
forced to comply (the European Court of Justice has no jurisdiction).
I
am not quite sure what Timothy Garton Ash means when he says the
Holocaust is "unique." Is this not an insult to the non-Jewish victims
of the Nazis, including Basques?"
~ ~
Basque Cross (Lauburu) Table Runner by Carmen Etchart
Hello Patricia, Thank you for your e-mail. I am sorry for the delay in responding, but I wanted to take some time to consider your request. Quite simply, I had concerns of my Lauburu work being associated with the negativity of the swastika. Given that your site is focused on quilting and its history, I am complying with your request to publish my work. I think it would be nice if you could include a little more detail in reference to the history of the Lauburu, on your website. Here are a few recommended sites: http://www.buber.net/Basque/Folklore/lauburu.html http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Lauburu http://swastika-info.com/en/startpage/all/1066313818.html Thank you for your interest in my work. I look forward to following your site. Regards, Carmen Etchart
May 12, 2009 - Justine Richardson, Matrix Project Manager and Quilt Index co-director, writes that she has been following this thread on swastika quilts and just saw "this additional quilt with swastikas on it -- looks like they're from cigar premium silks." These are featured in the new quilts from Iowa that were just launched in the Quilt Index.
Bride's Quilts
In her book, American Quilts and Coverlets, (New York: Chanticleer Press, 1949), the late quilt historian, Florence Peto, states that, "A whirling swastika must be tucked somewhere in the quilting stitchery for it insured good fortune and fertility," and she provided the following design example on page 20.
Has anyone actually seen this symbol in a Bride's Quilt? Write to: pat@quiltersmuse.com
Shame Associated With Swastika Symbol
Jean Carlton, a fellow member of the American Quilt Study Group, wrote about a quilt she saw in a show. It started life as a swastika quilt, but someone had appliquéd pieces of closely-matching fabrics to close the gaps and make it appear to be a different quilt pattern. She sent interesting photos.
The stories I am hearing are incredible! Thank you.
Quilt Historians Just Report the Facts
Knowing of this lengthy background of the swastika symbol should be reassuring. I have gone to great lengths to explain this lest even one person think that Maggie Malone or any other quilt historian who has reported on this quilt block had anything to do with translating the (now noxious) symbol into that form.
Another Sighting: On May 13, 2009, we saw a light mint-green woven coverlet that was lightweight. The motifs on it looked like flower pots with three abstract-looking flowers jetting out from each one. On the flower petals and on the pots themselves, were swastika designs, which were also present over the whole background. The coloration of it made me think that the coverlet could have been made in the 1920s or 1930s, before the war machine really got geared up for WWII. This was an unexpected surprise that again calls to mind an earlier time when the symbol was a happy one.
Other Resources
Besides the two books mentioned already, in preparing this manuscript, I consulted Barbara Brackman's Blockbase program where she mentions the block as having been publishing in 1931 by "Grandmother Clark." She proceeds to list 16 different names for the same block in her entry #1130b in Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.
An additional book that provided much information is titled, The Complete Encyclopedia of Signs & Symbols by Mark O'Connell and Raje Airey (np: Hermes House, n.d.).
See Quilt Block Pattern Identification for the Uninitiated
© Copyright, May 1, 2009. Patricia L. Cummings, Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. All rights reserved. Write to: pat@quiltersmuse.com