Hi everyone,

I have a major problem here, I dont know how but my German friend and another friend of mine who is going to marry a German (shes a local indonesian), just found out that I collect "those things" via my website http://www.singapore-ww2-militaria.com ?? It happened a couple of hours agao when I just got back home.

Hes a very nice guy to the point of being a true pacifist... but I got a gut feeling our friendship wont be the same again.. even though I emailed him to explain why I collect.

He is his reply

"No you don’t have to excuse. These are your personal things. Don´t worry. I met a few people who totally misinterpreted the nazi regime.But I am sure you know quite a lot about the history. The problem is that you never can isolate these blades from the context of the history. The people who wear those blades did terrible things and were responsible for 70 mil dead people at the end of the second world war. Unfortunately the SS was one reason why our last republic (weimarer republic) before the second world war did not work. Of course not the only one. Lets hope that we never get such thing again."


But tomorrow morning im meeting him (if hes in his office) and the girl too... so what the hell should I say...

Regards,
Ibrahim.

I would not go into it, wait for the right time when you might be with him allone in a bar and talk then with a beer on the side (in case he drinks beer). You always will see different views on everything, and Germans where teached from the bottom up how bad everything was what the Germans did. He will never give up his position as a well trained German pacifist, so not much worth to come up with any excuses. In that case I would keep silence over it.

Yes, that fear over the German history was given us as the real penalty. First Bombs then food (as usually) and 1000 years of fear from the own history

there is nothing on your site that is bad. No where do I see that you support the Nazi/SS ideology.. Seems like he understands its your hobby and its personal. I agree with Robert,,don't say anything and go on as usual..
Collecting and the history is your hobby, and maybe even your passion but it doesn't mean you are neo-nazi. Don't make a big deal out of it....

I think your friend makes an absolutely fudamental point: "You can never isolate the blades from the historical context". You probably agree with him and that will be your starting point in describing your collecting. Not only you dont isolate the artifacts from the crimes of the regime that produced them, wore them etc., but you take full account of them.

In connection to this, you can explain how you dont display the artifacts in a manner that glorifies the Nazi regime, for example, or betrays nostalgia for the period. If indeed that is true. Basically displays are not neutral and communicate sometimes as much if not more than the actual artifacts.

Today´s Germans are extremely reasonable people, among the best read and most cultured europeans, and will respect a military historical interest or hobby, once they understand theres no philo-nazi sentiments involved.

I will totally agree with Gustavo on this.

I have had numerous people initially display shock when they find I collect daggers. But, once they see them, and I describe their place in history, they always admire them.

As to the balanced display, I have several pieces of ghetto art displayed with my German items. How can I show the ghetto art without the other to show the cause and affect artifacts?

Not even our local Chinese and Belgiums have any qualms over my collection.

Just my 2 cents

Jim

Yep. Gustavo nailed it. I have alot of friends who are Jewish and they all accept it. Delving into deeper dialogue with a few of them, they appreciate the artifact and it's historic and cultural significance...it's all in the context.

I find the military art pieces more problematic than anything else. A few limited edition prints of 109s or a sortie of Focke-Wulf 190s doing a fly by of Mount St. Michael is a little more touchy than my military artifacts. Just my experience.

Just to update everyone, I met up with my German friend, and we just didnt talk about it at all.
He didnt bring it up nor did I, so it was the normal coffee chit chat break.

Actually I thought we were going to have a discussion about his comments " ... The people who wear those blades did terrible things and were responsible for 70 mil dead people at the end of the second world war. Unfortunately the SS was one reason why our last republic (weimarer republic) before the second world war did not work..." cause even though he is highly educated and all, hes a phd student, his knowledge on his country history leaves a lot to be desired for.

Anyway, we are still friends and thats what matters most.
Thank you to all you guys for your comments & advise.

Cheers,
Ibrahim