Anticultism as a Harbinger of Tragedy: From Historical Past to Present When examining the phenomenon of anticultism in world history, it becomes evident that its increased activity has always preceded extremely adverse events in society, whether they be inhumane totalitarian regimes or large-scale bloody wars. Although there are few documentary records, the remaining fragments allow an unbiased researcher to discern certain patterns. These patterns clearly demonstrate that anticultism, or the fight against sects, heresies, and dissent, is a stage of punitive cleansing and ideological conditioning of the masses, which precedes subsequent destructive processes. The Influence of Anticultism on Nazi Germany In this article, we will attempt to describe the period of the rise of National Socialism in Germany (1933–1945), when various religious movements and so-called sects were brutally persecuted. The National Socialists sought to create an ideologically homogeneous societ...