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Steven Heller
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The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption? Hardcover – February 25, 2000

by Steven Heller (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
Examines the history of the graphic image, including its beginnings in antiquity, pre-World War II religious and commercial uses, Nazi appropriation, and its place in popular culture as a racist icon.
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  1. Print length
    167 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Allworth Pr
  4. Publication date
    February 25, 2000
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 0.5 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1581150415
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1581150414
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-Heller does a laudable job of providing the pre-20th-century history, the Nazi-associated infamy, and the punk-era appropriation of this graphical image. The clear, comprehensive, and cogent narrative is illustrated with abundant prints that range from symbol dictionaries and propaganda posters to photos of architecture and textile designs. The author brings into stark illumination how thoroughly the emblem has come to embody Nazi ideology and how its meaning has been changed for, seemingly, all subsequent generations. This is a book that is accessible in language and content to most readers, yet it will force even the most sophisticated to rethink and rework their ideas of how images work in the world. A valuable purchase for school and public libraries, as well as for art and design collections.
Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Allworth Pr; 0 edition (February 25, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 167 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1581150415
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1581150414
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 0.5 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

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Steven Heller

Steven Heller

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Steven Heller, author and editor of over 130 books on graphic design, satiric art and popular culture, is the co-founder and co-chair of the MFA Designer as Author program at the School of Visual Arts, New York. He is also co-founder of the MFA in Design Criticism, MFA in Interaction Design, MFA Social Documentary Film and MPS Branding programs. Although he does not hold an undergraduate or graduate degree he has devoted much of his career to fostering design education venues, opportunities and environments.

On the editorial side, for over 40 years he has been an art director for various underground and mainstream periodicals. For 33 years he was an art director at the New York Times (28 of them as senior art director New York Times Book Review). He currently writes the “Visuals” column for the Book Review and “Graphic Content” for the T-Style/The Moment blog (http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/author/steven-heller/). He is editor of AIGA VOICE: Online Journal of Design, a contributing editor to Print, EYE, and Baseline, and a frequent contributor to Metropolis and ID magazines. He contributes regularly to Design Observer and writes the DAILY HELLER blog for Print Magazine (http://blog.printmag.com/dailyheller/). His 135 books include "Design Literacy, " "Paul Rand," "Graphic Style" (with Seymour Chwast), "Stylepedia" (with Louise Fili), "The Design Entrepreneur" and "Design School Confidential" (both with Lita Talarico), "Iron Fists: Branding the Twentieth Century Totalitarian State", and the most recent, “Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig.”

He is the recipient of the 1999 AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement. His website is www.hellerbooks.com and his blog, The Daily Heller sponsored by Print magazine is http://imprint.printmag.com/daily-heller/

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
38 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • B. Porecka
    5.0 out of 5 stars A truly unique book
    Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    The Nazis took a symbol with a thousand year history, which they really just ruined for the world. The swastika was used by Native Americans, Nordic Peoples, Polish Mountain Dwellers and Hindus, to name just a few. Only the Hindus use it freely nowadays. This book shows the history of the stolen symbol, from the ancient times to usage in pre-Hitler commercials for products so well known as Coca-Cola. Many of the usages are shown, including types of swastikas found in each region of the world. The book does not concentrate on Nazi usage as many do, though illustrations for that time are also plentiful. It's not long so it really isn't a study book, but it does make an interesting read.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Tabs
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely book
    Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2013
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    I loved this book so much. I am a Buddhist, myself...and I wish that I didn't get ridiculed so much for wearing the swastika...but sadly enough, people are going to be ignorant. All it takes is a few moments to open up a book and figure out where the symbol came from and what it really meant.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • R. Tirukonda
    2.0 out of 5 stars Don't Care...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    I ordered this book for my kids school project, even though I am a voracious reader, I don't care to know anything about mad man's crazy ideologies. But I digress, book order came fast as expected, which in typical fashion of teenager told me when the project was due in few days, so paid extra for 2 day shipping, and got it in 2 days.
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  • didier
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2016
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    Not anti semetic
    2 people found this helpful
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  • C. Martin Centner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Fun Graphic History
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2015
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    Steven Heller is both graphic designer and historian, This book explains, and better shows, how the Swastica came to be both part of our culture and the symbol of evil. This was the second copy of the book I purchased. It is both unique and interesting.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Cai Demin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thank
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2019
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    very good，especially the customer service. Thank you so much!
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  • lordhoot
    5.0 out of 5 stars History of the Swastika Before and After Hitler
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2008
    In a relatively a short book, less then 160 pages, the author Stephen Heller managed to recount the history and usages of this notorious symbol used by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party. The book is filled of illustrations showing how this symbol were used by many cultures from many lands across the face of this planet thousands of years prior to Hitler's Third Reich. Hitler's claims that swastika is a pure "Aryan" symbol mocked his own understanding of this symbol. It pretty clear by author's assertions that swastika have been used by many for various purposes. Some of the most interesting aspects the author brought up was that swastika was the symbol the Girl's Club in the United States during the early of the 20th century and each of their magazine covers had swastika all over it.

    Although the author touched on the Asian usage of the swastika, he fell little short regarding the Asian elements of the swastika and its meanings. When my father was stationed in Japan, I had a chance to see many swastikas on Japanese temples and surprised to see swastikas adopted into some of the Japanese samurai families' mon (family crest) during that era of history. One of the more funnier things I have seen was reading a Japanese map and seeing all these red swastikas on the map - each of them showing the location of a temple or a shrine. One of my friends who didn't know any better asked once if that map is showing where all the Nazis live in this area.

    The author also wrote some interesting stuff on whether this symbol can ever be save from how we see it today, symbol of evil, racism and hate. The book came to a regretful conclusion that as long as there are large numbers of racists and anti-Semites out there using the swastika for their own purpose and with its history, this symbol can never be reclaim in innocence. In some way, the swastika's fate can be linked with the Confederate Battle Flag. Both will always be associated with racism and hate as long as there are people who will used it as such.

    Overall, a very useful book and interesting reading material to anyone who wants to know more about this symbol which apparently been hijacked permanently by Adolf Hitler and those like him.
    21 people found this helpful
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  • joy's division
    1.0 out of 5 stars Product not as advertised
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Arrived without book jacket. Disappointed and dissatisfied.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Donald McDonald
    2.0 out of 5 stars The subtitle is misleading
    Reviewed in Canada on March 14, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    A small, but decent, review of the history, use, and symbolism of of the swastika. I was disappointed that the "irredeemable?" bit of the subtitle didn't get more in depth analysis. The author pretty well says as much in the post script. I suppose I was looking for a bit more in depth semiotics and political philosophy, and less polemic, with the conclusion all but reached ahead of time.
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  • BV
    5.0 out of 5 stars OK
    Reviewed in France on September 27, 2020
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    OK
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  • Liz Malory Smith
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best formatted book.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2015
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    Sadly more of a high school text book than an interesting read. I'm sure it's accurate and has clearly been well researched but the format & style make it very difficult for general reading. I was expecting test pages at the end!
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