Vril Society is a fictitious secret society, reportedly existing in Germany in the early to mid-20th century.
Linked to conspiracy theories about its involvement in Nazi rise, using supernatural energies for technology advancement, notably flying machines (Reichsflugscheiben).
No concrete evidence supports the existence of this society or its attributed achievements.
The Novel The Coming Race and the Term Vril
Origin: The term Vril originates from the novel The Coming Race (1871) by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
Concept: In the novel, Vril is a powerful psychic energy used by a subterranean race, Vril-Ya, enabling telepathy, telekinesis, and influencing both animate/inanimate matter.
Impact: The novel portrays Vril as a force that could pose a threat to humanity if Vril-Ya return to the surface.
Vril in Theosophy and Popular Theories
The Coming Race was interpreted as satire and occult literature.
Occultists like Helena Blavatsky used Vril as a synonym for secret natural forces.
The term Vril was incorporated into theories about Atlantis and esoteric movements.
The Further Reception
The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed a surge in occultism and mysticism.
Vril concept spread among German occult circles, influencing the idea of a "magic technique" uniting science and religion.
Development and Content of the Legends About Vril Societies
Historical Templates: Willy Ley’s 1947 article cited a pre-WWII Berlin group interested in Vril, forming a basis for later legends.
Alleged Groups and Publications: Publications like Weltdynamismus and Vril. Die kosmische Urkraft claimed technological advances using Vril, though these were largely deemed pseudo-scientific.
Summary of the Research Situation
Research suggests the "Truth Society" and the "Reichsarbeitsgemeinschaft" may have been the same short-lived group.
Post-WWII, the Vril Society concept was resurrected in conspiracy literature, with no factual basis.
Notable Authors and Theories
Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier: Introduced Vril Society in the 1960s, linking it to Nazi efforts to ally with supernatural powers.
Norbert Jürgen-Ratthofer and Ralf Ettl: In the 1990s, linked Vril to Nazi flying saucers and esoteric studies.
Jan Udo Holey: Popularized Vril-related conspiracies in esoteric and neo-Nazi literature in the 1990s.
Variations of the Legend
Maria Orsic: A medium allegedly involved with Vril Society, central to some legends.
Nazi UFOs: A separate but related myth, with no verifiable evidence, involves alleged Nazi flying saucers.
Cultural Impact
Vril and associated myths have influenced right-wing esotericism and have been featured in popular culture, like video games.
Conclusion
No substantial evidence supports the claims about the Vril Society.
The myth continues to attract interest within esoteric and conspiracy theory circles, often linked to right-wing extremism.