Dutch Company Sells Nazi Helmets as World Cup Joke

I have a rather odd friend who is interested in such oddities, who alerted me to this article. I did a search here on the Forums and did not find anything related to this, hopefully it's not a duplicate.

================================

From the AOL News article:

Updated: 10:23 AM EST
Dutch Company Sells Nazi Helmets as World Cup Joke
Netherlands Soccer Officials Are Not Pleased

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (Jan. 10) - A Dutch company is selling replica Nazi helmets bearing pro-Dutch slogans in an early attempt to cash in on German-Dutch rivalry going into this summer's World Cup in Germany.

The orange plastic helmets, which cost $6, have small Dutch flags printed on the side and bear slogans such as "Attack!" and "Go, Netherlands Go" in Dutch.

The Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II is still a sensitive subject 60 years later. Many Dutch harbor lingering resentment that sometimes is played out in the countries' fierce soccer rivalry.

Frank Huizinga of the Netherlands soccer association is not amused by the helmet stunt.

"We reject every link between soccer and the war," Huizinga said. "There are so many ways you can make a joke, but this is too obvious to be funny, it shows no creativity at all."

Weno Geerts, director of Free Time Products, the company selling the helmets, said critics should lighten up.

"There's no political message here," Geerts said. "It's just a joke. We're making fun of Germans, just like they like to make fun of us."

After the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, German pranksters started a Web site themed "Where's Holland?"

The Dutch lost to Germany in the 1974 World Cup final, but beat their rivals in the semifinals of the 1988 European Championship and went on to win the title.

The last time German and Dutch supporters clashed seriously was after a friendly match in 1996. The two teams are in separate groups at this year's World Cup and won't meet unless both advance to the later rounds.

01/10/06 07:57 EST

================================

I have not been able to find a photo of the controversial helmets, but I'll post one if I can find one.

[ 25. January 2006, 01:04 PM: Message edited by: Blazkowicz ]

 

Google is King! I did a quick search and found not only a photo, but the Dutch website that sells the helmets:

http://www.helmpje.nl

 

And another pic:



[ 25. January 2006, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: Blazkowicz ]

 

I can't see the controversy myself....after all, England fans are still singing "Two World Wars and one World Cup" everytime England play Germany. Never mind that's about three World Cups less than Germany can claim, if memory serves.