I'm considering writing an essay on censorship in foreign countries. Now I'm not exactly an expert on foreign law, but from what I've heard, there is heavy censorship of Nazi related materials in Germany. To what degree is this true? Does it hinder a potentially objective education on the Third Reich? I'd be especially interested in hearing from Germans or people who have traveled to or lived in Germany.
Hello, dasreich ... I'm not the person to give you a definitive answer about this but yes, there is 'positive censorship' in Germany regarding Nazism. At it's visible-to-me-as-tourist level, the most obvious manifestation is the total banning of the swastika as an offensive symbol. So, for instance, if you attend a militaria fair every swastika ( even the tiny ones on Iron Crosses, etc ) is covered over by the dealers, usually with sticky labels or paper. And, on model aircrft, plastic kits, etc - no swastika decals included. I hope some of our German members can contribute more to this thread - it's interesting.
Shortly, I have found this German page about illegal and allowed symbols. http://www.rechts-nein-danke.de/kennzeichen.html
I don't think that it is only in Germany. I don't think that you may carry a German Nazi Flag on the street in Europa or America or so.
There aren't any laws in the United States about not being able to carry a Nazi flag. Actually they had an incident at a high school where the band during halftime of an American football game ran across the field with a Nazi Flag. You can carry one down the street, just you may not get to the end of the street alive. Greg
Same in Britain. I don't think that the symbol itself is illegal or proscribed as such - although displaying a swastika flag in , for instance, Golders Green would be mightily unwise and offensive.
Indeed Martin. Very dodgy. We had some fun here on the Isle of Man recently. Granada have been filming a series called "Island at War", about the invasion of a fictional Channel Island during WWII. The crew tricked out a pub in Casteltown town square as a German HQ. (you know, Nazi flags at all the windows etc.) Some of the locals were MOST disgruntled - even a few of the survivng Germans, who remained here after their internment came to an end, had something to say about it all. I have to say it all looked very effective, and quite spooky.
