PrintMarch 28, 2005
Return of the Swastika (1)
[The first in a three part series]
The recent contretemps over Prince Harry's wearing of a swastika on a (wildly inaccurate) Afrika Korps uniform at a masquerade party made headlines around the globe. All sorts of folk were up in arms: some called for abolition of the Monarchy, others called for Germany's ban on the obnoxious symbol to be extended throughout the EU. Thoughtful pundits in thoughtful venues wondered what it all meant.
Shortly thereafter, the Los Angeles Times piously warned Germany about the dangers of rising neo—Nazism. Of course, the Times is much given to lecturing countries like Bolivia, Sri Lanka, and the Ivory Coast about their internal affairs; doubtless its editors believe the role their newspaper played in inciting the 1992 Rodney King riots qualifies them as experts in civil unrest.
Nevertheless, there are indeed skinheads in Germany who invoke the name of the Fuehrer, demonstrate, and wreak mayhem upon immigrants and others. Given the German...(Read Full Article)
