The sickening theft and mutilation of the “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign from Auschwitz raises once again the spectre of the sordid trade in Nazi memorabilia.
The sickening theft and mutilation of the “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign from Auschwitz raises once again the spectre of the sordid trade in Nazi memorabilia. A simple google search reveals just how easy it is in the online world to buy, sell and browse all manner of items from the Third Reich.
One such site, Militaria-net, styles itself as “one of the worlds premier sellers of fine quality Third Reich related items including medals, badges, insignia, field equipment, uniforms, daggers, CD’s, Posters and more”, a “‘one stop’ shop” for all your Nazi needs, with over 1000 items on sale.
It boasts of offering a “comprehensive range of reproduction Third Reich Militaria and related items”, ideal for “collectors and re-enactors, museums, film/TV, and Theatre Groups” – though the complete lack of vetting means anyone can buy from them. Within a few clicks, anyone on the planet is able to buy, for example, an “iconic brownshirt worn by Hitlers Stormtroopers”: “100% cotton shirt with french cuffs, silver pebbeled buttons and belt hooks”, complete with “wool multi piece swastika armband for that early NSDAP look”.
Even convicted Holocaust-denier David Irving is cashing in. According to the Telegraph, he too has set up a website selling Nazi memorabilia, reportedly selling strands of Adolf Hitler’s hair, Hitler’s walking stick, and a goblet and spoon given as a christening present by Heinrich Himmler to Hermann Goering’s daughter, described as “unacceptable” by Dr Shimon Samuels, director of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, who told the Daily Mail:
“This Naz-eBay is extremely distasteful to the point of sick. There’s a market out there for Nazi memorabilia. If this is done to glorify Hitler, as I imagine it is, then it is unacceptable.”
Trade in Nazi memorabilia is banned in Austria, France, Poland and Germany, where it is also illegal to deny the Holocaust, display the Swastika, own a copy of Mein Kampf or give the Sieg Heil salute. In Britain, home to many memorabilia websites, none of these are a criminal offence.
18 Responses to “Auschwitz theft reveals “Naz-ebay” trade in Third Reich memorabilia”
Kris Oltman
I currently reside in Germany and I can assure you that you can still find and buy WWII Nazi memorabilia here. I am a collector and have found many items at several flea market type atmospheres. My point…..I do not support any aspect of Hitler or his Ideologies however, these are items of history and they represent something that was evil and wicked but nonetheless history.
Agnieszka Tokarska
@leftfootfwd http://bit.ly/5Eqyy3 please see also:Auschwitz sign was stolen for wealthy British Nazi – mirror.co.uk – http://bit.ly/4LUNuN
Joel
This is frankly typical of the media at the moment – any interest in World War 2 German items and accusations of ‘Nazi sympathiser’ are thrown left, right and centre.
Dr. Samuels is wrong in his assumption that most collectors have anything like these views. The vast majority of collectors are genuinely insterested in the history and preservation of historical items – there chosen field of specialisation is neither here nor there. Others collect Japanese or Communist items, yet we do not row over politics. The latter two regimes were of course just as bad (if not worse) than the Third Reich. Yet in none of these areas have I met anyone(in my 19 years of collecting) who hold any extremist or radical views in either direction.
Also the writier is wrong with regard tthat the trade is illegal in Germany, etc – this is not the case, but there are legal restrictions (sometimes which seem a little over the top) to ensure that these items and symbols are not used to glorify Nazism. Some of the most respected dealers in the trade are based in Germany, and they follow the law to the letter, and do not hold any views supporting Nazism.
Whilst it’s clear that the media wish to incite some degree of ‘horror’ in people that these items are sold, I’m sorry but in a free society we should not forget the horros of history – to do so is dangerous and opens the door for future trouble.
To fellow collectors and amateur historians I’ll say this: we know it’s impossible to get away from the fact that a small minority among us hold extremist views. This is life unfortunately, and we know this is a very small minority and banning things simply drives this underground (would people rather have the BNP where we can see them or underground where it is impossible to police their activities?) These people are for the most part shunned by the rest of us – indeed I have never met any, and I’m well aware that even amongst collectors of Third Reich antiques, the collecting of Holocaust items is viewed in pretty much the same way as the rest of the population.
Finally I feel I should (well… you really have to these days else you are branded with some type of undeserved name) justify why we collect.
The Third Reich, whether we like the fact or not HAPPENED. It was, again however unoppular this may be, a very interesting, disturbing and amazing time. How this came about is still wrapped in enigma by many historians – the events which happen oftn defy belief (and this is not a good thing).
Only by remembering, conserving and discovering history can we ensure that this sort of thing never happens again. To ban or hide history is the first step towards allowing it to happen again – and indeed for those who do hold beliefs which are misguided, this simply creates a ‘martyr philosophy’. Neo-Nazis already believe in spiritual connections to the symbols and mysticism of Hitler, and Lord knows what else (let’s face it – they’re not exact the brains of Britain). Their paranoia is also high as it is, without governments putting too much importance on a minority view, and thereby pandering to their disturbed views.
Not being one of these people, I attach no importance to the symbols in the ways they do – I do not see how seeing a symbol, especially if you choose to ignore learning the history, can somehow magically make someone into an anti-semite (as the ‘logic’ of banning seems to indicate).
I’d also add the beauty of the items themselves is a factor. Sorry if that’s not ‘PC’ enough, but these things were not designed with military effectiveness in mind – they were designed by artists and architects specifically to look good – allied leaders who visited Germany are known to say how wonderful things looked. Indeed allied soldiers, the people who fought this regime, would collect items not only as a trophy, but because they looked simply beautiful.
I’m sure if some of you would attend some of the military or collectors fairs, and meet some of the people involved you would not be so quick as to judge as all as some kind of sinister fetish group.
After all, I myself am part Ashkanazi (my ancestors are from Holland), part indian, a pro-Israeli and one of my uncles was present at the liberation and occupation by allied troops at Belsen. I would be the first person to spot the nutters!