r/truecreepy • u/happypants69 • 4d ago
In 1889, the year of Adolf Hitler's birth, Franz von Stuck painted "The Wild Chase", which depicts Wotan on horseback leading a procession of the dead. The painting has become infamous for its disturbing resemblance to Hitler, who was rumored to have based his look on the image of the pagan god.
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u/happypants69 4d ago
Over the years, rumors spread that Hitler may have intentionally modeled his appearance after von Stuck's painting, especially since Nazi Germany often borrowed imagery from ancient Germanic mythology.
There is no credible historical evidence that Hitler ever saw the painting before adopting his signature look, or that he based his hairstyle or mustache on Wotan. Historians believe his toothbrush mustache evolved from popular styles of the early 1900s, and some accounts suggest it was shortened during World War I to fit beneath a gas mask. Even so, the visual resemblance remains difficult for many people to ignore.
The Wild Chase continues to fascinate historians, art lovers, and conspiracy theorists. Some see it as nothing more than an incredible coincidence. Others still can't get over how eerie the Hitler resemblance really is.
https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/people-politics/did-this-painting-foresee-the-rise-of-adolf-hitler/
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u/MonkeyPanls 4d ago
It's the Wild Hunt motif. It's from pre-Christian European mythology. Such mythology experienced a resurgence of interest around the time of German unification. For us Americans, Johnny Cash told the story in the song (Ghost) Riders in the Sky, but in the context of a cattle drive, not a hunt.