Blavatsky would have never imagined that her theories would create the kind of damaging repercussions they have today. After writing down her own beliefs in her book entitled The Secret Doctrine, it actually became an article of inspiration for the German Nazis. Mentioning the myths of Hyperborea, or a land that was home to a godlike race, Blavatsky contributed to the whole ideology of Nazism.
Though this was a dark turn in the pseudo-history of Atlantis, there were actually more impartial theorists that came along.
Dated Theory?
Donnelly’s theory shares the same location with Plato’s description of the area of Atlantis, it still remains popular among a number of today’s theorists. Unfortunately, due to better understanding and knowledge of how plate tectonics work, this theory has since been debunked by modern oceanographers.
The whole idea of the waters shifting leading to the sinking of Atlantis ultimately seemed ridiculous at this point. However, this didn’t stop theorists from expanding Donnelly’s work.
Secret Society
Helen Blavatsky, a Russian mystic and founder of the Theosophical Society, was amongst those who were directly influenced by Donnelly’s work. Whereas Plato believed that the Atlanteans were purely a military entity, Blavatsky believed that they were actually a more culturally rich and sophisticated civilization.
In fact, she even believed that her own race was deeply rooted in the Atlanteans, or what she called the “Root Race”. However, the Atlanteans contributed to their own downfall, engaging in one too many internal battles influenced by supernatural powers.
Next Generation
The next group of theorists actually started to contribute their own ideas of where they thought the city of Atlantis may have been located. Charles Berlitz, one of the most notable of those theorists, actually wrote several books about paranormal activity, eventually branching into the fantasy of Atlantis.
Unfortunately, his theory relied on information we could probably never have the means to clarify.
Bermuda Theory
You have probably heard of the Bermuda Triangle, the notorious area where many ships and people have mysteriously disappeared. It was in this location that Berlitz theorized the Atlantis had been situated.
This belief was backed up by the ancient-looking man-made structures and walls near the Bimini coast. Unfortunately, scientists debunked this belief after confirming that these structures were actually natural rock formations.