All throughout the history of war enemies have constantly tried to one-up each other. From fist, to stick, to stone, to spear, to guns and nuclear weapons, there has always been constant one-upmanship. In the old days, people often would turn to magic and dark paranormal forces to try and change the tide of conflict, but far from mere ancient superstitions and lore, this has persisted well into the modern day. During the brutal trial by fire that was World War II there were certainly those who sought to harness supernatural powers to their own ends, and both friend and enemy alike absolutely turned to magic to try to gain an upper hand.
When talking about using magic and World War II it is inevitable that we start with the Nazis. The Nazis have always made great villains and for good reason. Their twisted philosophies, seemingly all-encompassing presence during World War II, their ruthlessness, and their numerous secret projects have all sort of wreathed them with this ominous air of evil and inscrutable mystique. Throw in stories of unleashing top secret super weapons, occult powers, secret underground lairs, and quests for powerful ancient artifacts and you have the perfect recipe for a mysterious villainous organization. Yet the movie portrayal of Nazis is not always as completely so far removed from reality as one might think. Indeed, the Nazis were deep into research, expeditions, and experiments that are just as fantastic and at times downright absurd as any fiction involving them, and they were often involved in the dark world of the weird and the occult to a degree many might not be aware of. Truth is indeed sometimes stranger than fiction, and man’s propensity for evil knows few boundaries. It is a potent combination that makes the reality of the Nazis something at once stranger and far more terrifying than any movie depiction of them.
Hellbound and Down 