Peter Staudenmaier is Associate Professor of History, Marquette University, USA. His previous books include Between Occultism and Nazism: Anthroposophy and the Politics of Race in the Fascist Era (2014) and The Politics of Nature in Nazi Germany: Environmental Ideals and the Myth of Blood and Soil (2026).
Julius Evola and the Radical Right examines the ideas and influence of Italian thinker Julius Evola (1898–1974), an increasingly popular author within the far right and the esoteric milieu alike.
An iconic figure for successive generations of the radical right, Evola is both revered and reviled, but his past remains contested. Those seeking information about him are confronted with a fractured and contentious legacy. Drawing on the archival record and texts that Evola left behind, this book reconstructs his intellectual trajectory and examines his activities in Fascist Italy, in Nazi Germany, and in the neo-fascist movement after 1945. It demonstrates that Evola and his circle were not as marginal as sometimes portrayed and cooperated more closely with Fascist and Nazi officials than previously recognized. The book dispels many of the myths surrounding Evola and his "spiritual racism” while tracing Evola´s enduring influence after his death, showing how his ideas continue to inspire contemporary political movements.
This book will be of interest to scholars and students of Fascism, Nazism, antisemitism, and the Holocaust.
Preface: History´s Blindspots: Italian Fascism and the Memory of Antisemitism 1. Defying Modernity: Julius Evola and Traditionalism 2. Evola and his Allies: The Rise of Spiritual Racism 3. Defending the Race: The `Jewish Problem´ in Fascist Italy 4. A United Aryan Front? Evola between Fascism and Nazism 5. Accomplices to Genocide: Spiritual Racism in Wartime 6. In the Ruins of Fascism: Evola and the Radical Right in the Postwar World Epilogue: Understanding Evola: Esotericism and the Legacy of Fascism Bibliography
"In this book, Staudenmaier offers outstanding research, distinguished by its thorough reliability. The study is rigorous, grounded in extensive source work, and guided by a critical yet sober engagement with the evidence. Staudenmaier carefully contextualizes the material, tracing historical developments with clarity and illuminating present-day dynamics with sharp analytical precision. Accessible, precise, and comprehensive, this is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand both historical and current forms of far-right politics at a moment of renewed influence.”
Julian Strube, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Göttingen.
"This lucid and carefully researched book examines the intellectual and political impact of Julius Evola, with particular attention to his racism and antisemitism. Drawing on extensive archival research and close analysis of Evola´s original writings, Staudenmaier´s book clarifies the historical record, dismantles enduring myths and distortions, and opens new avenues for research. At a time when Evola has regained visibility in the global landscape of radical right politics, this book addresses worrying present-day concerns.”
Francesco Cassata, Professor of Contemporary History, University of Genoa.
"Grounded in meticulous historical scholarship, this book marks a watershed in the study of Julius Evola. Peter Staudenmaier´s research establishes once and for all that Evola´s deep ideological commitment to fascism and national socialism, including his virulent antisemitism and "spiritual racism,” were not marginal or irrelevant but perfectly central to what he believed esotericism and Traditionalism were all about. From now on, his many admirers will have to live with that fact.”
Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, University of Amsterdam.
"In his meticulously researched book, Peter Staudenmaier perceptively analyzes Evola´s career as a leading racist thinker during the Fascist regime and as a neofascist guru in the post-World War II era. He also offers intelligent speculations about why Evola´s influence continues to grow today.”
Richard Drake, Lucile Speer Research Chair in Politics and History, University of Montana
