CPAC Stage Appears To Be Shaped Like An ‘Odal Rune’, An Early Nazi SS Symbol

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) came under fire on Friday after a photo was widely circulated online showing a screenshot of the CPAC stage that appears to be in the shape of an odal rune, a symbol that was included in the divisional insignia of two Waffen SS divisions during World War II

“The othala rune (also known as the Othal Rune, Othila Rune, Odal Rune or Norse Rune) is part of the runic alphabet system, a system of writing used (with many variations) across pre-Roman Europe,” according to the ADL’s hate and neo-Nazi symbol database. “In the 20th century, Nazis in Germany adopted the othal rune, among many other similar symbols, as part of their attempt to reconstruct a mythic “Aryan” past. Nazi uses of the symbol included the divisional insignia of two Waffen SS divisions during World War II. Following World War II, white supremacists in Europe, North America, and elsewhere began using the othala rune. Today, it is commonly seen in tattoo form, on flags or banners, as part of group logos, and elsewhere.”

“However, because it is part of the runic alphabet, the symbol can also be found in non-extremist contexts as well, especially runic writing and runestones used by non-racist pagans. Consequently, care should be taken to evaluate the symbol in the context in which it appears,” the ADL notes.

Twitter users were quick to condemn CPAC and accuse the organization of using a Nazi hate symbol at this year’s conference.

Oh look, CPAC using symbols from the SS. pic.twitter.com/u2SnFyOcCj

— Resistance Rages On (@ResistanceRages) February 26, 2021

Hey @maddow @MaddowBlog you may want to look into this. I did, and @hami is right - the unusual CPAC stage is in the shape of an early German symbol used by the SS. Once you see it, it cannot be unseen. https://t.co/TW9r8JXY9q

— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) February 26, 2021

Uuuuuuuh. If it's somehow not intentional this is one heck of a coincidence. https://t.co/XfcCzAmKtu pic.twitter.com/RrghEb1LVe

— Dan Stapleton (@DanStapleton) February 26, 2021

really hope* somebody got fired** for this blunder***

*pretty sure
**praised
***intentional dogwhistle https://t.co/BI0t1Rf9zZ pic.twitter.com/lLcmzsm7ts

— Aw beans, it's just Phil 💗💜💙 (@ThatDangPhil) February 26, 2021

Having adopted the philosophy, ideology, and tactics of the Nazis, the Trump wing of the Republican party seems to be adopting the iconography as well. https://t.co/tffS3Wc3rS

— Peter Gleick 🇺🇸 (@PeterGleick) February 26, 2021

Oh shit https://t.co/WSEUQGxRhp

— Will Carless (@willcarless) February 26, 2021

Since when did the far right do anything to hide their totalitarian ideation and white supremacist leanings? They don't obscure this stuff in stage designs, they quote Hitler in speeches and openly try to invalidate elections. https://t.co/rE7LOXxEzZ

— Mike Rothschild (@rothschildmd) February 26, 2021

Is it a coincidence that the CPAC stage is in the shape of the Odal rune, a less-well-known Nazi Germany symbol, that white supremacists use? pic.twitter.com/Cuq9UxhulE

— Maureen Schroeder (@MaureenLS) February 26, 2021