Teutonic Knights’ Castle Turned into Nazi Cult Site?
The word ‘crusader’ conjures up images of scarlet-cross Knights Templar. Although these heroes of the 12th century may dominate popular culture, their Order was rivalled by the black-cross Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order or Teutonic Knights. Also, not to be confused with the Knights Hospitalier, this Catholic religious-military order was founded circa 1190 AD in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem and played an important role in Outremer (Crusader States), where they controlled the tolls of the port of Acre. Just like the Templars, the Teutonic Knights aided pilgrims en-route to the Holy Land and they also established hospitals and monastic centers of learning and scientific development.
Hermann von Saltza served as the fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights (1209 - 1239) (Public Domain)
After Christian forces were defeated in the Middle East in 1211 AD, the Teutonic Order re-established itself in Transylvania, where the knights assisted the Kingdom of Hungary in defense against the Kipchaks. The Order existed right up to 1938 when it was outlawed by Adolf Hitler, but it was revived in 1945.
