Nazi Salute.

Well it's illegal there, besides you can have both freedom of expression and strict laws-- and I suspect the evidence will show the Canadian man was not endorsing Naziism (unless of course he is a Nazi), and, the article claims, German law allows for the humorous or critical use of the salute.  Besides he's not a German citizen, I don't think they'll keep him for long.

Right, but laws and freedom of speech can coexist; if the Germans don't want people flashing Hitler salutes, that's their right to decide as a democracy.  And I don't blame them one bit.


 

Snow Dog wrote: ^ I know it is illegal there. That is my point.

They're not allowed to show the Hakenkreuze either, mind you.

Besides, if you're waving to someone and happen to stop your arm mid-wave, could that not kind of be deemed as inappropriate, even if it wasn't meant to be?

James wrote: They're not allowed to show the Hakenkreuze either, mind you.

On plastic kits, you usually get the Hakenkreuze decals in two halfs.  Some kits don't have them at all.  Being a modeller, I want my model to be accurate.  It doesn't show Nazism if I'm showing them.  It's showing authenticity.

By the way, I even saw some original photographs during the war of a Luftwaffe Geschwader removing their Hakenkreuze due to their disagreement about the removal (by high command) of their Gruppenkommandeure because he was married to a Jewish woman.

There was also a pilot whose name was Adolf who hated Nazism so much, he asked everyone to call him Adam.  Of course, he still fought for his country, as one did.


Edited by James - March 01 2011 at 05:07

Geschwader = Squadron
Gruppenkommandeure = Group Commander (although more equivalent to a Squadron Leader)
Hakenkreuze = Swastika


Edited by James - March 01 2011 at 05:11

Snow Dog wrote: James wrote: On plastic kits, you usually get the Hakenkreuze decals in two halfs.  Some kits don't have them at all.  Being a modeller, I want my model to be accurate.  It doesn't show Nazism if I'm showing them.  It's showing authenticity. Are the models you build from Germany, or is it because they are also sold in Germany?

Sold in Germany.  Some are Japanese (Hasegawa), some are American (Academy) and I even have some Czech ones (who seem to have no issue with putting them in).  I'm not sure if Revell (a French company) include them or not.

Although Airfix don't include them at all, as far as I'm aware.

Addendum: they don't show the Hakenkreuze on the box art/photograph though


Edited by James - March 01 2011 at 05:25

Although getting a paint scheme accurate is hard enough as it is!  But yes, you want to at least show the correct markings.

I am opposed to any laws that the government can abuse to bully undesirable people.  This is one of them. 

"The Nazi salute, usually accompanied by the phrase "Heil Hitler!", has been illegal in Germany since the end of World War II, though it may still be used for art, teaching and science.

Instances where the salute is ironic and clearly critical of the Nazi regime are also exempt."

As soon as the law can objectively define "art" and "teaching," and for that matter "ironic" and "clearly critical," such a law has no place on the books.