During the tumultuous times of World War II, a unique form of resistance emerged from the shadows of English folklore and occult practices. A group of British witches, led by Gerald Gardner, known as ‘The Father of Witchcraft,’ orchestrated a covert operation to thwart the ambitions of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. This operation, known as the Cone of Power, was a ritualistic endeavor that aimed to cast a spell on Hitler, clouding his judgment and preventing the invasion of Britain.
Operation Cone of Power: A Magical Assault on the Führer
In the summer of 1940, as Britain braced for a potential German invasion following the Dunkirk evacuation, a secretive group of witches and spiritual seekers, including members of the New Forest Coven, resolved to defend their country through magical means . On Lammas Eve, August 1, 1940, these witches gathered near Highcliffe-by-the-Sea and performed a ritual in a forest clearing surrounded by pines. They marked out a witches’ circle and chanted a magical formula that had been used in ceremonies against previous threats like the Spanish Armada and Napoleon.
The ritual involved 17 participants, some of whom were said to be descended from a lineage of witches. As they danced and chanted, they focused their collective will in a psychological assault on Hitler’s mind, hoping to weaken his resolve to invade England . The Cone of Power was directed toward Hitler’s brain with the intention of hastening his downfall . Interestingly, roughly six weeks after the ritual, Hitler canceled Operation Sea Lion, the proposed invasion of Britain, shifting his focus to the Soviet Union with Operation Barbarossa.
The Legacy and Influence of the New Forest Coven
The New Forest Coven, which played a central role in the Cone of Power, was a community of witches that included influential figures like Doreen Valiente.
Valiente, along with Gardner, worked to build covens and organizations that shaped modern Paganism . The lore of their ritual to protect Britain was passed down and is believed to have indeed taken place, serving as an important expression of belief for the coven.
The Intersection of Occultism and Nazism
The Nazis themselves were not strangers to occultism and supernatural beliefs. Their ideology drew inspiration from Nordic mythology, paganism, and occult practices, which they exploited to attract followers seeking new forms of spirituality . The SS even had a Hexen-Sonderauftrag, or Witch Division, tasked with researching the persecution of pagan practices by the medieval Catholic Church. The regime’s appropriation of folklore and occultism was used to justify military aggression and territorial expansion.
The Role of Other Occult Figures in WWII
Beyond the New Forest Coven, other occult figures played roles in the war effort. Aleister Crowley, for example, initiated Gardner into his Ordo Templi Orientis and corresponded with Nazi mystic Rudolf Hess . Dion Fortune worked both practically and spiritually to protect the home front , while Rollo Ahmed, known to Valiente, Gardner, and Crowley, sought to steer a path away from black magic..
The Question of Effectiveness
While it is impossible to definitively prove the effectiveness of the Cone of Power, the coincidental timing of Hitler’s strategic shift away from invading Britain has led some to speculate on the impact of the witches’ efforts . The ritual’s secrecy and the lack of concrete evidence mean that we may never know for sure whether the witches’ spell had any real influence on the course of the war.
Conclusion
The story of the British witches who took on Hitler with their Cone of Power ritual is a fascinating blend of history, folklore, and the occult. Whether or not their magical efforts had a tangible effect on the war’s outcome, the tale of these witches remains a compelling chapter in the annals of World War II resistance. It serves as a testament to the lengths to which people will go to protect their homeland, even resorting to the mystical and the arcane in the face of overwhelming adversity.
