Introduction

When delineating the astrological chart, it is very important to recognize the symbolism and to check it against timing techniques. In that interest, I will note a few key symbolic factors in the chart of a well-known life, that of Adolf Hitler. The symbolism of these factors is checked against annual profections and solar returns.

I think it goes without saying that I don’t like this guy, but I’ll say it anyway. I’m analyzing this chart to illustrate astrological symbolism and its activation across time. This analysis is in no way intended to show any support, sympathy, or affection for Hitler. I detest Hitler’s beliefs, his actions, and racism in general.

Note About Principles and Techniques

Some readers may be unfamiliar with the principles or techniques used here. I rely upon traditional symbolism and techniques of Hellenistic astrology. In terms of the significations of planets, houses, lots, signs, and so forth, please see the series of lessons on the site. Also see links in this article to articles on specific techniques employed. I strive for consistency with traditional basic symbolism always.

I focus on just a couple of basic predictive techniques in this article, namely profections (annual profection of the Ascendant) and solar returns (the transits at the Sun’s return to its natal zodiacal position). These are two of the oldest and most important predictive techniques of horoscopic astrology, being found in texts that date back almost 2,000 years. I link to basic explanations of their use in the article. They continued to be popular techniques through the Middle Ages. Typically, I also bring in planetary years, primary directions, and an additional ancient techniques which give a fuller picture. Here I wanted to keep things simpler.

In terms of my philosophy of chart interpretation or what astrology is, it is an uncommon one. I take a symbolic approach to the chart, not one that depends on factors having any intrinsic indexical link to some underlying reality, psychological or occult. For more on this, please see the 8th lesson on the site.

Birth Data

Adolf Hitler’s was born on 4/20/1889 at 6:30 pm in Braunau, Austria per birth records (AA-rated source).

Rise to Power

In Hitler’s chart, one of the clearest indications of his rise to power is the Moon’s applying conjunction to Jupiter. The Moon signifies power by its light and its rulership of the 10th house (Cancer), as well as its separating trine from the Sun. Jupiter signifies fortune and opportunity, connecting it to the Moon and the 10th house. Jupiter is also the exalted ruler of the 10th house and both planets aspect it.

Age 45: Seizes Power

Hitler seized dictatorial powers in Germany on 08/02/1934. He was 45 years old. Age 45 is an annual profection of his Ascendant to Cancer, the 10th house, ruled by the Moon. As noted, the Moon is conjunct Jupiter in the natal chart, with both pertinent to the 10th.

The solar return for the year had the return Moon in the 10th house. Therefore, the Moon, lord of the year, highlights here significations related to the 10th house, which pertains to leadership, authority, and actions. Additionally, return Jupiter was transiting in the 1st house of the self, in the Jupiter bound of Libra. The indications for the Moon-Jupiter conjunction with respect to matters of leadership become realized.

Marriage and Death

In 1945, much of Germany was in ruins and it was clear they had lost the war. Hitler made his last public appearance on his 56th birthday. Eight days later he married his longtime companion Eva Braun. Two days after that they both committed suicide.

In Hitler’s natal chart, Venus rules the Ascendant by sign and bound and occupies the 8th house. This connects the symbolism of the self (1st house and Ascendant) with death (8th house) and love (Venus). The applying partile (same degree) conjunction between Venus and Mars puts passion and violence into the equation of both symbolic statements.

Mercury also connects to both themes in the natal chart as it rules the Lot of Love (Gemini) and is in the 7th house (partnership). It is on the descendant (setting/death) in the bound of Saturn (death) and ruled by Mars which is in the 8th conjunct Venus. Mercury also symbolizes death by rational decision (calculated suicide).

Saturn’s Shadow

Saturn, the natural significator of death, squares the natal 8th house Venus-Mars configuration, reinforcing its relevance for death. As Venus is Hitler’s Ascendant lord, strong connections between it and significations of malice (Mars and Saturn) and death (8th and Saturn) go a long way toward characterizing his identity.

What is less obvious from the natal chart is that Saturn and Venus-Mars are antiscia each other almost exactly (within half a degree). Saturn’s shadow (antiscia) in the 8th conjunct Venus-Mars certainly brings out the configuration’s connection with death as well as other significations of Saturn.

Saturn’s Secret Spot

Saturn rules the Moon-Jupiter conjunction in the natal chart. That connects its themes of death and endings to it. This connection is much more apparent by the twelfth-part position of Saturn. Saturn’s twelfth-part is in Capricorn with the Moon-Jupiter conjunction, adding to the potential combination of their symbolism.

The twelfth-parts of the chart are actually very revealing on many levels. For instance, Venus-Mars with their twelfth-parts in the 2nd, opposing their natal positions. Both are still in dark houses and the opposition symbolizes increased tension inherent in their symbolism and and with respect to the symbolism of Hitler’s father (Sun and Saturn; more on this below). There’s much more, but we’ll focus on Saturn for now.

The End: Age 56

As noted, age 56 quickly brought Hitler’s marriage and then death. Those were the two biggest events in that 10 day last year of his life.

The profection at age 56 was to Gemini, ruled by Mercury. Gemini is the Place of Love (location of Lot of Love). I’ve noted how Mercury, ruler of the Lot of Love, conjunct the Descendant in the 7th house and the bound of Saturn readily signifies regarding death and marriage. The other thing to note about Gemini is that it is aspected by only two natal planets, Mercury and Saturn.

The solar return shows Mercury (lord of the year) in return in the 7th house with return Venus. Therefore, the connections with both marriage (Venus, 7th) and death (7th, 8th lord) are both reinforced.

Saturn Comes for the Moon

Perhaps even more strikingly reinforced is the symbolism of Saturn with respect to the natal Moon-Jupiter conjunction. The Moon-Jupiter conjunction was noted as pertaining to the rise to power (10th house). Its vulnerability to the symbolism of Saturn shown by Saturn’s rulership of it and the twelfth-part position of Saturn on the configuration. At the return, Saturn was at 5 Cancer, in the 10th house, opposing the natal Moon-Jupiter.

Similarly, the Moon in the return was in Leo, with natal Saturn. Therefore, the symbolism of a final end to the personal fortune signified by Saturn with the Moon-Jupiter is clear and dramatic. Another instance of it is return Saturn’s position in the same bound of Cancer as the natal Lot of Fortune itself.

Death Transits

The transits at the time of death again reveal the importance of the symbolism thus discussed. The Mercury-Venus conjunction became partile at the time of death. Saturn’s opposition to the natal Moon was near exact (2′ of a degree), with death on a Moon day and Saturn hour. Interestingly, Hitler died as the transiting Sun (9TAU51) was in partile conjunction with his 8th house twelfth-part Sun (9TAU36). The fatal gunshot was heard at the setting of Mars and culmination of Saturn, at about 3:30 pm.

Early Years

We’ve seen the symbolism of some pivotal years in the personal rise and fall. Let’s look now at some pivotal early years of life.

Hitler moved to Germany when he was 3 (profection to 4th house Moon-Jupiter), but he and his family returned to Austria a couple years later.

Father

Both Saturn and the Sun connect to Hitler’s father, but particularly Saturn. This is because Saturn can both naturally signify the father and it rules the 4th house of fathers. Saturn also rules the Place of the Father by lot (Aquarius).

Hitler was often in conflict with his father (Saturn) over Hitler’s lack of discipline (Saturn) and skill or interest in farming (Saturn). The conflicts would often turn physically abusive (Venus in 8th conjunct Mars, squared by Saturn).

Hitler’s father died suddenly on 01/03/1903 when Hitler was only 13 years old.  This represented an annual profection to the 2nd house, ruled by Mars. The solar return saw Saturn (death) in the 4th house (father) Capricorn (cardinal/sudden). It is sharply squared by return Mars (lord of the year) in Aries (cardinal/sudden; violent) within 2 degrees. Return Mars is in partile conjunction to natal Mercury and Descendant (setting/death).

Mother

Hitler’s mother is most readily signified by the Moon in the chart. Not only can the Moon signify the mother naturally but she is here in the 4th place of home and origins. Venus can also naturally signify the mother and Mercury rules the Lot of the Mother.

Post-Father’s Death and Mother’s Death

After the death of his father, Hitler was more free to pursue his main passion which was art. Hitler’s self-identification with art is symbolized by the strong role played by the signs of Venus and Venus herself in the chart. Venus rules the 1st house of self and is in her domicile Taurus where she is with and rules the sect light. While his father conflicted with his artistic ambitions (Saturn square Venus), his mother was supportive (Moon trine Venus).

However, Hitler’s mother died on 12/21/1907 when Hitler was just 18. This left Hitler leading a Bohemian artist’s life of selling paintings to survive, catching musical performances for entertainment, while living in Vienna. It is thought that his racist ideas developed in Vienna or soon after.

Mother’s Death

The death of Hitler’s mother when he was 18 was a very important event in his life. He was very fond of his mother (Moon-Jupiter conjunction; Venus ruling 1st). As with his father’s death, it was marked by a year with Mars as lord of the year, actually the first profection to one of Mars’s domiciles since the death of his father. This time it was to the 7th house, Aries.

The solar return at age 18 is absolutely striking. Return Mars, the lord of the year is at 8 Capricorn, conjunct his natal Moon-Jupiter (partile to Jupiter). The return Moon (mother) was at 14 Leo conjunct natal Saturn (death) within a degree. Additionally, return Venus and return Saturn are conjunct each other within a degree in the 6th house of illness (death was from breast cancer).

Younger Brother’s Death

As might be expected from a chart with a strong focus on an 8th house cluster that is square to Saturn, this is a life defined by death.  One of the more influential early deaths in his life was that of his younger brother Edmund on 02/02/1900 from measles. Hitler would’ve been age 10 (11th year), so the profection would have been to the 11th house ruled by the Sun and occupied by Saturn.

Both the Sun and Saturn have connections to death in the chart. The Sun is in 8th and rules Saturn.  Saturn naturally signifies death, squares the 8th cluster, and rules the Lot of Death. Younger brothers are typically shown by Mercury though. Also, in Hitler’s chart Jupiter rules the Lot of Siblings (Pisces) and the 3rd house (house of siblings).

Jupiter and Death

It is worth noting that Place of Death is also in the house of siblings (Lot of Death is at 6SAG54). Both Jupiter and the Lot of Death are pertinent for the house of siblings. Jupiter as there were 6 children in total from his parents (his dad had more from a previous marriage. The Lot of Death as the three before Hitler died in infancy and the one after him (Edmund) at age 5. Only his young sister, Paula, lived a long life.

Age 10

As noted, the profection at age 10 put a focus on the Leo 11th house, ruled by the Sun and occupied by Saturn.  As the Sun is the lord of the year and is in return, we will be particularly concerned with return transits to the Sun, through Leo, as well as those involving Saturn (Leo’s occupant).

What we find in the return is Mars, the natal out of sect malefic (harm), at 2 Leo, in the house of the profection with natal Saturn (death), sharply square the 8th house Sun (within 2 degrees). Return Saturn (retrograde at 23 Sagittarius) is in the 3rd house of siblings, which is also the Place of Death, and it is square to the Lot of Siblings (20 Pisces). The return Moon, Venus, and Jupiter are all in dark places of the natal chart.

Conclusion

It is my hope that this is a useful exercise in pertinent symbolism and its activation. Any planet in a natal chart will symbolize across a number of different domains. Different significations emerge in these different domains and over time. It is not knowing whether a signification is “good” or “bad” that is important but in what ways it can signify good and bad and which signifies are reinforced. A full palate of traditional Hellenistic factors, including lots, antiscia, twelfth-parts, and more get us closer to a sophisticated understanding of the symbolism.

Profections and solar returns are two of the most ancient and most important timing techniques we have in astrology. The profection shows where the highlighter goes. It tells us the factors to focus on. The solar return provides an opportunity for the symbolic signatures in the natal chart to be reinforced, whether they are obvious or subtle. Even with just these two basic techniques, applied in a very basic way against a few pivotal years in a life, we see strong evidence of the symbolic relevance of astrology.

Modern Factors

On a final note, I’d like to add that the symbolism of the traditional factors serves as a great framework for making sense of new modern factors as well, if you use them. For instance, when you understand many of the significations of the 8th house Sun in this chart and its rulership of Saturn in Leo, then the partile conjunction between the Sun and asteroid Phaethon takes on deeper significance. Midpoints, asteroids, and other such modern factors can help to further add nuance and depth to the traditional symbolism.

Some such modern factors can complement rather than compete with traditional interpretation. Given the tendency of the ancients to employ as many additional symbolic factors as possible, from bounds and decans, to twelfth-parts, antiscia, and monomoria, I would hardly expect that they wouldn’t have been exploring midpoints and asteroids too if those had been available to them.

Don’t take the deeply traditional focus of this site as implying that modern factors have no place in traditional astrology. Rather, the implication is that the traditional symbolism and techniques are sufficient to structure the interpretation and provide for rich information. Where you go from there is up to you.