‘End this vile trade in Nazi souvenirs’
A SICK trade in Nazi memorabilia, including SS uniforms, medals and weapons, is thriving on UK dealing sites.
The sale of macabre items has been branded “horrifying and distasteful” by leading charities, which called for a ban in line with other EU countries.
Charity heads have said the practice – illegal in countries including France, Austria and Germany – is “insulting to the millions of lives lost”.
A Sunday Express investigation found many items available on UK sites. Highly collectible pieces – including Nazi bravery awards and weapons such as swords and daggers – are “price on application”.
One dealer, going by the name of Ben, told our undercover reporter: “We often have bidding wars for many hard-to-come-by items. It’s a very busy market, believe it or not. It’s just not boasted about because it’s a bit of a taboo. But the UK has an active market for Nazi memorabilia.” For sale were service medals from £50, gas masks and even bayonets used by Nazis for £65.
Also available are sinister SS and Hitler youth uniforms.
Ben said: “It’s really popular – your neighbour probably has a massive collection and you’ve got no idea.” In summer, a Blood Order medal which once belonged to Adolf Hitler’s bodyguard Ulrich Graf sold for £36,500.
Auctioneers Hansons, based in Etwall, Derbyshire, sold the Blutorden medal – which was awarded to members of the 1923 beer hall putsch – for an unnamed British doctor.
Eliza Dunke, of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation, said: “It’s horrific that this is happening. It’s totally inappropriate and distasteful, and I don’t know why the UK is so far behind other countries in banning the sale of items which glorify murder.
“These dealers are profiting from millions dying. How is that right? Our government should follow the lead of others.”
Karen Pollock, from the Holocaust Educational Trust, said the sale was “not appropriate”, adding that it might be “time for clearer regulation on the sale of these items”.
She said: “Several leading auction houses and online sites already refuse to sell such material and many countries have banned the sale of Nazi memorabilia.”
Adrian Stevenson, an expert at Hansons, said banning the sale of Nazi medals would be sweeping the past “under the carpet”. He said of the medal: “It’s a remarkable historical piece with a huge story to tell. Some countries ban the sale... but I think that does a disservice to the victims of the Nazis.”