This paper examines the often-cited connections between the NSDAP and occult ideologies, seeking to separate academic insight from popular speculation. While public discourse and media have long associated Nazism with the supernatural, this investigation takes a closer look at how serious – and how significant – those ties actually were. Drawing on a range of academic sources and archival materials, the paper traces the esoteric interests of key Nazi figures such as Heinrich Himmler, Karl Maria Wiligut, and Rudolf Hess, and discusses the ideological origins of the party in groups like the Thule Society. Particular attention is given to myths surrounding Wewelsburg Castle and the broader use of occult imagery within the party. While some Nazi elites did engage with supernatural ideas, the argument made here is that these beliefs were ultimately fringe, frequently dismissed even within the party, and largely irrelevant to its political program. In the final section, the paper considers an alternative explanation for Hitler’s eccentric behaviour – the theory that he may have suffered long-term consequences of van Economo encephalitis, which could account for his paranoia, compulsions, and cognitive decline. Overall, while occult elements within Nazism are historically present and worth acknowledging, their influence has been overstated – often shaped more by post-war myth-making and media narratives than by historical reality