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Adolphe Knigge, the Bavarian Illuminati and Contemporary Conspiracy Culture

2011; RELX Group (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

1556-5068

Kevin M. Hataley,

Religious, Philosophical, and Educational Studies

The Bavarian Illuminati is a dominant theme in Western conspiracy narratives; however, discourses are replete with opinions and theories founded on exceedingly poor scholarship, exaggerations and hearsay. Perpetuation of the hullabaloo is precipitated by a complete lack of access to English translations of the original work of authors and theorists, which include Dr. Adam Weishaupt, Adolphe Knigge and J. J. C. Bode. Western conspiracists purport a sinister global deception as the raison d'etre of the Bavarian Illuminati, but this is not what is gleaned from English translations of the original texts. Knigge's apology, written in 1788, Philo's endliche Erklarung und Antwort auf verschiedene Anforderungen und Fragen die an ihn ergangen seine Verbidnung mit dem Orden der Illuminaten (translated in 2012, as Philo's Explanation to Various Questions Concerning His Connection with the Order of the Illuminati) is critically examined, providing textual evidence contrary to contemporary conspiracist claims. Knigge's text reveals a personal account of his experience with the Bavarian Illuminati. It includes an intimate (but quaint) autobiographical sketch, insight into Knigge's relationship with Dr. Adam Weishaupt, and a view into late eighteenth century German occult culture. It hints at the origins of esoteric doctrines, and provides a descriptive array of the doctrinal foundations and operational functions, of the Order. The conclusion is obtained that no textual evidence exists supporting the claims, that the Bavarian Illuminati is a sinister organization intent on enslaving the modern world, being asserted by late twentieth and twenty-first century conspiracy theorists. An affirmation is made for the necessity of transliterating Illuminati primary-source documents for English researchers as a partial, but powerful, remedy for the growing conspiracy delusion in the English speaking world.