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The most controversial interpretation of the Three Ages philosophy and of millennialism in general is Hitler's "Third Reich" ("Drittes Reich", "Tausendjähriges Reich"), which, in his vision, would last for a thousand years - but which in reality only lasted for 12 years (1933-1945).
The phrase "Third Reich" was coined by the conservative German thinker Arthur Moeller van den Bruck (b. 1876, suicide 1925), who in 1923 published a book entitled Das Dritte Reich, which eventually became a catchphrase that survived the Nazi regime.
Looking back at German history, two periods were distinguished:
* the Holy Roman Empire (beginning with Charlemagne in AD 800) (= the "First Reich"), and
* the German Empire under the Hohenzollern dynasty (1871 - 1918) (= the "Second Reich").
These were now to be followed -- after the interval of the Weimar Republic (1918 - 1933), during which constitutionalism, parliamentarism and even pacifism ruled -- by:
* the "Third Reich" of Adolf Hitler.
In a speech held on 27 November 1937, Hitler commented on his plans to have major parts of Berlin torn down and rebuilt:
[...] einem tausendjährigen Volk mit tausendjähriger geschichtlicher und kultureller Vergangenheit für die vor ihm liegende unabsehbare Zukunft eine ebenbürtige tausendjährige Stadt zu bauen [...].
[...] to build a millennial city adequate [in splendour] to a thousand year old people with a thousand year old historical and cultural past, for its never-ending [glorious] future [...] --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenialism [Sept 2004]
The multiple atrocities and extremist ideology that the Nazis followed have made them notorious in popular grammar as well as history. The term "Nazi" is used in various ways. So are other 3rd Reich terms like "Führer" (often spelled "fuhrer" or less often, but more correctly, "fuehrer" in English speaking contries), "Faschist", "Gestapo", "uber/ueber" (from Übermensch, superior person, arian as opposite to Untermensch) or "Hitler". The terms are often used to describe individuals or groups of people who try to force an unpopular or extreme agenda on the general population, and also commit crimes and other violations on others without remorse. The terms are also often simply used to insult people.
In the context of the Western World, Nazi or fascist is also sometimes used to qualify, or better disqualify, political groups (such as the French Front National) advocating restrictive measures on immigration, or strong law enforcement powers.
Critics of Israel have recently taken to using comparisons with the Nazis in describing its treatment of Palestinians, particularly with regards to Israel's separation barrier on the West Bank. Many regard this usage to be antisemitic, or at best an exaggeration.
The terms are also used (more humorously, but also fully intentionally to insult and offend) to describe anyone or anything seen as strict or doctrinaire. Phrases like "Open Source Nazi", "spelling Gestapo", "ubergeek" and "Feminazi" are examples of those in common use in the USA. These uses offend many, as the controversy in the popular press over the Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" episode should indicate. Those offended consider the use to be a trivialization of the Nazis, who killed millions of people.
The terms are used so frequently as to inspire "Godwin's Law" on usenet which states "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one". A popular corollary states that when one disputant compares the other to the Nazis, meaningful discussion is over and the former has lost the debate.
More innocent terms, like "fashion police" also bear some reminiscents of Nazi terminology (GESTAPO, Geheime Staatspolizei, secret state police) as well as references to Police states in general.
It can also be found that German-sounding or German-looking spellings of English words are used to claim superiority in some area, or to create some impression of power or brutality. Usually without adopting the Nazi ideology, or any parts of it, at all. For example, to give English words a German touch the letter 'C' is often replaced by 'K', like "kool" or "kommandos". A well known example of "germanization" of names are the names of heavy metal bands like Mötley Crüe, or MOTÖRHEAD ("because it looks mean"). See Heavy metal umlaut.
Another similar effect can be observed in the usage of typefaces. Some people strongly associate the Fraktur typeface with Nazi Germany propaganda (although the typeface is much older, and its usage was banned at some time in Nazi Germany). A less stronger association can be observed with the Futura typeface, which today is sometimes described as "germanic" and "muscular". --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism#Nazi_.2F_Third_Reich_terminology_in_popular_culture [Sept 2004]
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