Nazi flags for sale at Nelson auction house cause offense

A South Island company that sells Nazi flags kept quiet when asked why it was benefiting from memories of the infamous regime.

The Lipscombe Auction House in Nelson has three flags adorned with the Nazi swastika for sale in its showroom.

Each has online auction bids of around $ 20 to $ 25 so far.

When contacted, the auction house said it did not want to comment on the flags.

“Everyone has a voice,” said a staff member when informed that a reader had contacted the Herald and said the flags had offended him.

The reader told the Herald that he was “very concerned and disturbed” by the damage that the promotion of Nazi memorabilia could cause.

“It is very relevant within Aotearoa today after the terrorist attacks of March 15, 2019 and the ideology that fueled the attacks, which sadly resulted in the tragic death of 51 innocent people and the injuries of another 40,” said the reader.

“While it is not against the law in New Zealand, it is deeply offensive to the Jewish community within New Zealand and around the world.”

New Zealand Jewish Council spokeswoman Juliet Moses said she recognized there was no law prohibiting the sale of Nazi memorabilia, and some people picked up the items as a matter of historical or record interest.

But the flags were also offensive to many Kiwis.

“It is very disturbing for a variety of New Zealanders. The Jewish community finds it very disturbing and also many Kiwis, some of whom have lost family members fighting the Nazis,” he said.

Moses said the flags would also cause harm to the families of those killed and wounded in the horrific attack on Christchurch mosques last year.

“I just hope that the people who are selling them and the people who eventually end up buying them don’t use them to glorify the regime and put them in the proper context and use them in the proper context,” he said.

The Lipscombe auction house offered a short description of the flags on its commercial page.

It is unclear if they are genuine historical flags of Germany or Nazi memorabilia created later.

Moses said that while World War II military equipment might interest collectors and researchers, it was difficult to see the value of Nazi flags.

“These are simply flags adorned with swastikas, they are simply emblematic of the Nazi regime. It is difficult to attribute any other meaning or value to them,” he said.

“Even more so if they are not historical.”

Online auction company Trade Me is among the companies that have banned the sale of most Nazi items on their website.

“Trade Me does not support any ideology of hatred or intolerance,” states the company’s website.

“You cannot list elements that, either by themselves or by description, promote or glorify intolerance, hatred, or racial, sexual, religious or other violence, or that promote organizations with such views,” he said. .

That included historical or reproduced Nazi uniforms, weapons, war medals, or items that were once the property of Adolf Hitler and other prominent Nazis.

However, some items were allowed. These included WWII military models with the Nazi symbol, stamps and envelopes with Nazi postmarks, and Nazi-issued travel documents.

The website introduced strict guidelines and regulations after a Nelson man tried to sell his amputated leg in 2006.

The list was placed on the watch lists of 81 New Zealanders prior to its removal.