Looking for clarification here folks. I always understood it to be illegal to wear full Nazi uniform in Britain. Now, I could have picked something up wrongly, or just be plain mistaken. I asked the same question in a different forum and STRUGGLED to get an intelligent answer-just snide remarks. Anyway. An aquaintance of mine was done years ago (early 80s) for driving about in a kubelwagen dressed in nazi uniform from the waist up. He'd been warned a few times before, and this time he was fined. Now, maybe this was just a quirk of Scots Law, or there were complications I don't remember. Can any re-enactors clarify this once and for all? It's bugged me for 20-odd years! Regards, Gordon
I do not think that it is illegal (it would cause huge problems for re-enactors for one thing), after all there are re-enactors who are part of the old bill and we do work with the police from time to time. I am surprised your friend was nicked, though it may have been due to complaints from the public?
Stefan, Yea he lived in a small mining village and the locals had complained before. Didn't complain about him driving US and British vehicles in the appropriate uniform though! As I said, I always understood it to be illegal, but I could be very wrong. Regards, Gordon
Hi there, As far as I'm aware it isn't illegal to wear the outfit. It's the political beliefs that would become a problem. You could then be arrested for Incitement of Racial Hatred. HeadShot
Headshot hiya, That would certainly be a factor now right enough. Forgot to mention there's an obscure Scots Law offence of malicious Mischief, so that might have been a factor. Regards, Gordon
Mind you, Scotland does have some, erm, funny laws, like the ones about legally being allowed to shoot welshmen and irishmen in certain areas of certain towns at certain hours of the day with certain weapons.
Stefan-they're fellow Celts. Why would we want to shoot them?! Englishmen, on the other hand...... Regards, Gordon
I would run but there are miles of angry northeners between me and Scotland so I think I am safe . Actually a friend tried to teach me some glaswegian, starting with 'see uuu jimmeh' and 'aaas terriblll ahhh' (all inspired by Billy Connelly of course) My mistake, it was Winchester where you can legally shoot a welshman in the main street after 6PM on a sunday with a crossbow, now there is a sensible law!
Shudder to think mate! Around 20 years ago, my home town finally got around to repealing a Mediaeval local by-law which made it legal to beat your wife....as long as the rod used was wooden and no thicker than your little finger! The local Women's Unit rejoiced at that one! Regards, Gordon
Hey! We should start a new thread to see who can recount the most obscure(real-life)law: it would probably run for ever! Regards, Gordon
I think that people's conceptions of re enactors may have mellowed with the passage of time. When I first got involved at the age of 15, German uniforms still got a lot of sideways glances and as for SS.... I think the reason behind the lessening of hostility can be attributed to re enactors doing their utmost to educate the public at open days, by so doing, they show the public that they aren't "just a bunch of fascists" and have a strong interest in keeping history alive - hopefully so the same mistakes won't be made again. The major stumbling block for anyone who re enacts WWII is that there are people alive who remember living through it for real and they may be (rightly) offended to think that we are trivialising a very traumatic part of their lives. The onus remains on re enactors to show that the opposite is the case. Of course, our situation is not helped by the occasional "sensation" in the tabloids - every so often a piece about "Nazis in rural village" crops up and sets good relations with the public back a lot.
