The famous English scientist Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke (1953–2012) was one of the best specialists in esotericism. In 1985, he published his main book, The Occult Roots of Nazism, which became a worldwide bestseller. In this work, Goodrick-Clark was the first to scientifically prove the influence of various German-Aryan ideas and societies on the leadership and ideology of the Nazis. Pan-Germanism, Wotanism, Armanism and Ariosophy were very popular among German nationalists, but the Nazis also drew inspiration from these ideas and adopted them. Guido von List, Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels, Rudolf von Sebottendorff and Karl Maria Wiligut influenced the worldview of the leaders of the Third Reich. The author tells how the Thule and Edda societies, the Order of the New Templars and other smaller occult organizations became associated with the Nazi Party and why Christianity under Hitler was in the shadow of the occult.