Testimony of Francesca

Francesca, Italy

(I was in New Acropolis from the age of 17 until 27. I entered the innermost circle at 22. I was an instructor, lecturer and leader.)

I decided to make some information about this association public because I believe that a public entity described as “apolitical” and “non-profit” that defines itself as a “school of philosophy” with principles should be consistent with what it teaches, and this is not.

As quickly emerges on the internet even from a superficial search, New Acropolis has often been accused in several countries of being a paramilitary esoteric sect with Nazi-fascist leanings.

After 7 years of distancing myself, I feel the need to confirm and spread the truth: New Acropolis is run and organized from within by a sect. It has a “layered” structure whose outermost façade, that of the Association of Culture, Volunteering and Philosophy combined with civil protection, is, indeed, only a façade.

Internally it is organized like a real school, but the true heart of New Acropolis is an even more internal organization made up of the so-called FF.VV., Living Forces.

Through the courses, people are drawn in and then gradually moved from being members to Living Forces. It is not a mandatory step, but for the more enthusiastic and willing young people it becomes an almost natural progression.

Personal testimony

What follows is a partial testimony because you cannot summarize 10 years of life in a few lines.

At 17 I was looking for something — I don't know what, but I felt something was missing. I saw a poster for the course of Eastern and Western philosophy and fell in love with it immediately. I became a member right after the “trial course”.

I was always in the front row at all the courses and after a few years I began the path to become a Living Force. I remember I was 22 when I was about to graduate and shortly after became a Living Force. I was so stressed that I began to have skin problems, but it's okay — stress is part of life.

The trials

Entering the Living Forces requires passing a series of trials divided into earth, air, water and fire tests, corresponding to the physical, energetic, emotional and mental aspects. It involved completing an unfamiliar route with a map completely alone; upon reaching the goal, the test was passed. At the energetic level, painting a room at the headquarters alone or doing similar strenuous tasks. At the emotional level, singing or reciting something in front of all the other Living Forces and finally presenting a thematic research project before the Living Forces of all Italy. There was also a test in nature in which you had to immerse yourself in cold water and collect something from the seabed.

They are “initiatory” tests, and of course in the fervor of the moment and the fire of idealism that grips you I didn't stop to reflect on how strange it all was.

Being a reflective person by nature, the tests were all simple except for the more physical ones. At the start of the first test, I was told that if I felt disoriented I could make a call. In theory it was not allowed, but the branch director was still in a maternal phase with me, so she reassured me that way. During the route I made a call, for safety — I didn't want to get lost. At the finish they made me feel weak because I shouldn't have called. I cried. I was consoled. But that mechanism repeated itself in all the years to come.

Assignments begin. Watchword: obedience

After passing the tests to access the Living Forces, I became head of public relations and the press office. I didn't like it at all, but I was the most suitable to perform that role. “Pleasure” was also not a necessary thing; on the contrary, “the disciple must do what he does not like,” that's how it works in schools of discipleship, I was always told. I also became a lecturer and teacher, and I liked that because by teaching I was learning too, and that was the main reason I was still there: to learn.

In New Acropolis there really is a school with a study program rich in subjects. Unfortunately, however, the most active militants among us were few, so we progressed through the study program very slowly because we were too busy. What our superiors emphasized most were the specific lessons for the Living Forces in which certain topics were repeated for months, for example obedience. They would, of course, specify that it was not supposed to be blind obedience, but faith, love. Because duty coincides with love. Love with obedience. So you had to obey.

A single life mission: the ideal

I had no free time. I spent my days devoted to lessons and conferences; I worked part-time in the morning so every afternoon I was at the headquarters. I had episodes of panic attacks which I didn't speak about and which lasted briefly because I interrupted what was becoming an alarm of defence without leaving my rebellious personality any chance: I left my whole life and devoted myself completely to my mission, New Acropolis.

What was called the spiritual family had become more important than anything else.

Yet there was a recurring problem: whatever I did, it was never enough. I was never enough. I was never strong enough, never capable enough, nothing was ever sufficient.

Everything had to be done with devotion and without seeking the slightest reward in return. It had to be done like that because it was right. Stop, Duty is Love and true love asks for nothing in return.

It was not permitted to wear jeans because they were not suitable for the image of a lady, a “new woman”. My way of dressing was wrong and I had to change it radically in a short time.

It was not permitted to suffer, get angry, or show emotions. You had to always be smiling and available, especially in front of new people.

One identified with the disciple and the personality was to be educated, but in reality it was repressed.

It was not permitted to have social media accounts or blogs. This later changed in recent years, but initially it was forbidden.

You couldn't be homosexual; this also changed in recent years.

You could not show weakness: fainting or feeling physically unwell were considered unworthy weaknesses.

Working full-time became a problem because, despite total dedication during the few free hours, they were still not enough.

I would have a thousand anecdotes to tell that confirm all these words, but the gist is that in that environment you become incoherent, preaching love of wisdom but developing a blunt bigotry in practice, so convinced you are acting for a higher good that you justify yourselves and do not feel guilt in lying to young people about what New Acropolis really proposes.

Why didn't I leave immediately?

Leaving the innermost circle of the Living Forces, that is, the sect, requires courage, because you no longer have a life and if you lose “the ideal” you don't know what you will do. You must also overcome the fear of beginning to sow negative karma and the sense of guilt sets in.

I managed to leave very slowly, after an emotional physical ailment that gave me the necessary jolt to awaken me. It was difficult and the saddest thing is that there was no dialogue in which I could explain what I was living. To come into disagreement means automatically switching to the side of the “enemy”.

The incoherence behind the principles

I do not blame those whom I considered important guiding figures, because I know they are so immersed in this mechanism that they do not realize they are wrong, but I cannot tolerate this organization pretending to be a simple association of philosophy, culture and volunteering, attracting young people who want to change the world and improve society.

This definition is all the more misleading for the following reasons:

1. Philosophy is the love of knowledge and implies study, mental flexibility and openness to new knowledge. In New Acropolis there is a basic ideology that cannot change because its foundations would be undermined. There is no real openness to dialogue. What there is to know is already known.

2. There is no true universal brotherhood: black people are considered an inferior race, a remnant of the civilization preceding the current one, according to the esoteric sources they believe in, and homosexuals are considered abnormal.

3. According to New Acropolis's third principle, the realization of man as an individual is promoted. The truth is that one lives a constant split between the personality and the true Self, the Self considered spiritual, which is identified with the disciple. The individual, in particular the Living Force, is slowly led to identify only with the state of the disciple, thus becoming a militant whose task is to obey and to be obeyed by his subordinates. One's passions, one's interests, one's friendships, loves outside the headquarters — everything is put second to the most important thing: the ideal.

The true purpose of New Acropolis

The true mission of New Acropolis is the preparation for the birth of a new civilization, and in doing so it draws on the greatest teachings from various cultures both Western and Eastern. But the most powerful and evident ideology is predominantly linked to Nazism and Fascism.

All the symbolism, from the emblem of New Acropolis to the symbols associated with the Living Forces, to the uniforms, the ceremonies, and the ideology itself, are incredibly traceable to Fascism and Nazism.

According to their view, Hitler had been an “accepted disciple” of the White Hierarchy or White Brotherhood, who then “lost his head” and is therefore considered a “failed experiment.” New Acropolis is another “experiment” of the White Hierarchy, since even the founder of New Acropolis is considered an accepted disciple. Between ignorance and devotional blindness one cannot clearly see how this connection turns all that experience into the delirium of a sect that continues, even today, to promote courses of “active philosophy” and “volunteer training.”

PS. Why I speak about it now, after 7 years

• I was profoundly ignorant in history and, continuing to fill the gaps in my knowledge of Nazi-Fascist history, I am still astonished by the connections that are so evident.
• It took me years to recover psychologically from the vortex of moral subjugation they exercised over me, finally accepting myself for what I am: a human being with flaws.
• I still find testimonies of people who had experiences similar to mine and who, like me, can only talk about them after years.
• Last year I met a person who was a “point of reference” who told me I had to choose which side to be on: to help the world and humanity evolve or to do nothing. He was right: I like to think I can bring a bit of light and truth; it's right to do so because despite everything I deeply love philosophy.
• I think back to when as a teenager I was looking for “something” and ended up in a place that unfortunately turned out to be the opposite of what it claimed to be, and I'm afraid other teenagers could have the same experience.

Francesca