The Vril Society is a prominent subject of conspiracy theories and pseudohistorical claims, alleged to be a secret society that operated in Germany during the early to mid-20th century. Proponents of these theories claim the society played a pivotal role in the rise of Nazism and utilized supernatural energies to develop advanced flying machines, known as "Reichsflugscheiben," during the Nazi era. However, there is no historical evidence whatsoever to substantiate the existence of such a society, its purported achievements, or the significant influence attributed to it by these legends.

The term "Vril" itself originates from the English writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1871 novel, The Coming Race. In this work, "Vril" refers to a powerful psychic vital energy possessed by a subterranean race called the Vril-Ya. This force grants its users extraordinary abilities, including telepathy, telekinesis, healing, resurrection, and even destruction. Bulwer-Lytton's novel describes the Vril-Ya as an advanced, egalitarian, and eugenics-practicing society, superior to surface humans, who question the narrator about human society and pose a potential future threat if they were to return to the surface. The word "Vril" likely derives from the Latin virilis, meaning "manly" or "powerful."

While contemporary critics viewed The Coming Race as satire, some occult circles interpreted it as a roman à clef, believing Bulwer-Lytton, potentially a Rosicrucian, was conveying secret knowledge about a real, universal life force. Theosophists like Helena Blavatsky adopted "Vril" as a synonym for hidden natural forces accessible through magic. Blavatsky's works, Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine, described Vril as a genuine force used by Atlanteans to construct colossal structures, with this knowledge later preserved by a select few. Crucially, in 1896, the theosophist William Scott-Elliot connected Vril to airships in his pamphlet The Story of Atlantis, a link that would later become a significant reference point for post-World War II developments in conspiracy theories.

The concept of Vril gained considerable traction in Germany during the early 20th century, a period marked by a significant upswing in occultism and mysticism. Multiple German translations of Bulwer-Lytton's novel between 1874 and 1924 ensured the term became widely known. This era fostered lay theories that sought to bridge perceived gaps in science with occult concepts, expressing a desire for a "magic technique" that could unify science and religion. It is noted that prior to World War II, at least one private circle in Berlin explicitly engaged with the "Vril" force, and these few historical sources later served as a starting point for the development of the enduring Vril Society legend.