Eagle catching fish or eagle catching ichthys (German: Adler fängt Fisch or Adler fängt Ichthys) is a German anti-Christian and neo-pagan symbol.
It depicts an eagle catching an ichthys, a fish symbol associated with Christianity. The symbol is supposed to represent pagan strength and victory over Christianity.[1] It was first created in 1989, and later registered as a trademark in 2003 by Holocaust denier Jürgen Rieger for the far-right German neo-pagan organisation Artgemeinschaft Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft, which he led at the time.[2] [3]
Another anti-Christian symbol known as "Odins Raben" (Odin's Ravens) similarly depicts two ravens attacking an Ichthys.[4]
While the symbol originated from, and is mostly associated with, far-right paganism, this association is not inherently the case.
The design of the symbol can vary.
A variant of the symbol was used on a hoodie named "No Inquisition" produced by the clothing brand Thor Steinar, which is popular among the far-right in Germany.[5] Some German pagan metal bands, such as XIV Dark Centuries,[de] also have previously used the symbol.[6]
The Evangelical Association of Saxony and the Office for Worldview and Sect Issues of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony recognizes the symbol as clearly anti-Christian symbolism. It did not, however, conclude an inherent and clear association to the far-right extremist scene.