Schutzstaffel (SS) head Heinrich Himmler was obsessed with the occult and pseudoarcheological interpretations of Germanic history, and sought to use symbols and rituals to root the organization in his views. Some runes had already been used by members of the SS and its predecessor organizations prior to Himmler’s adoption, but he systematised it. The SS used several runes drawn from the mystic Guido von List’s Armanen Runes as organizational symbols. The symbols in List’s work, which he claimed came to him in a vision during a period of temporary blindness, were inspired by the historic Norse Younger Futhark runes. In addition to runes from List’s work, the SS also appropriated other esoteric symbols like the Wolfsangel.

The SS bolts were adapted from the Sowilo rune that the Nazis coopted. SS Runes, including the SS bolts, continue to be used today by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. However, not all uses of real or pseudohistorical runes is hateful, and context has to be carefully taken into account.

See also: Death Rune, Jera Rune, Life Rune, Odal Rune, Tyr Rune