- Reaction score
- 5,389
- Points
- 1,260
Just spotted this in what's usually a pretty right-of-centre news source ....
German elite soldiers used Nazi symbol
United Press International, 1 Nov 06
http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20061101-013719-5791r.htm
"Germany's elite soldiers in Afghanistan have painted a Nazi symbol onto their vehicles, a German news magazine reported. The soldiers of the elite unit Kommando Spezialkraefte, or KSK, had sprayed a palm tree and an iron cross onto their vehicles, a symbol reminiscent of one used during World War II by the Wehrmacht's in Africa, German news magazine Stern reports in its latest issue, which will hit the newsstands Thursday. Stern published a photograph of a white off-road vehicle with the symbol on it, used during the KSK's training in Oman and later in a mission in Afghanistan, the magazine said. In the Nazi era, the famed Africa Corps under the command of 'Desert Fox' Erwin Rommel used a similar symbol, a palm tree with a swastika painted across. "Some of our guys are stuck in the past and thought it was cool to drive around with this Wehrmacht emblem," an unidentified KSK soldier, who was not named, told Stern. "I and others found it sickening." The German defense ministry has said it has launched an investigation." ....
Let's see - someone took the Bundeswehr's symbol of the Iron Cross (see below), added a palm tree, and now because its kinda-sorta-almost like the Afrika Korps symbol (also see below), there's an investigation.
Yes, it comes on the heels of the German skull photos. Yes, there's likely more history and emotion involved in German military circles than I can imagine. But is this going a bit far? While I'll buy the definition of the swastika as a Nazi symbol, and I'll even buy the Afrika Korps symbol (maybe) as one stirring up memories, if the Iron Cross is the official symbol of today's German military, how does adding a palm tree make it a "Nazi symbol"?
Then again, if you believe Wikipedia, some units of the Afrika Korps still have successor units: "The 15th Panzer Division was reconstituted as the 15th Panzergrenadier Division, the 90th Light Division was reconstituted as the 90th Panzergrenadier Division, and the 21st Panzer Division was reconstituted under its own name."
Happy to hear from you if you have more insights into how today's German military deals with its history.
German elite soldiers used Nazi symbol
United Press International, 1 Nov 06
http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20061101-013719-5791r.htm
"Germany's elite soldiers in Afghanistan have painted a Nazi symbol onto their vehicles, a German news magazine reported. The soldiers of the elite unit Kommando Spezialkraefte, or KSK, had sprayed a palm tree and an iron cross onto their vehicles, a symbol reminiscent of one used during World War II by the Wehrmacht's in Africa, German news magazine Stern reports in its latest issue, which will hit the newsstands Thursday. Stern published a photograph of a white off-road vehicle with the symbol on it, used during the KSK's training in Oman and later in a mission in Afghanistan, the magazine said. In the Nazi era, the famed Africa Corps under the command of 'Desert Fox' Erwin Rommel used a similar symbol, a palm tree with a swastika painted across. "Some of our guys are stuck in the past and thought it was cool to drive around with this Wehrmacht emblem," an unidentified KSK soldier, who was not named, told Stern. "I and others found it sickening." The German defense ministry has said it has launched an investigation." ....
Let's see - someone took the Bundeswehr's symbol of the Iron Cross (see below), added a palm tree, and now because its kinda-sorta-almost like the Afrika Korps symbol (also see below), there's an investigation.
Yes, it comes on the heels of the German skull photos. Yes, there's likely more history and emotion involved in German military circles than I can imagine. But is this going a bit far? While I'll buy the definition of the swastika as a Nazi symbol, and I'll even buy the Afrika Korps symbol (maybe) as one stirring up memories, if the Iron Cross is the official symbol of today's German military, how does adding a palm tree make it a "Nazi symbol"?
Then again, if you believe Wikipedia, some units of the Afrika Korps still have successor units: "The 15th Panzer Division was reconstituted as the 15th Panzergrenadier Division, the 90th Light Division was reconstituted as the 90th Panzergrenadier Division, and the 21st Panzer Division was reconstituted under its own name."
Happy to hear from you if you have more insights into how today's German military deals with its history.
