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The display of the swastika is illegal in Germany, but some religious organizations have asked for permission to display other forms of the symbol. Historically, the swastika symbolizes peace and good luck. Hitler chose it based on his belief in the Aryan theory. The ban on the swastika is compared to the ban on the Confederate flag in the US, with some Germans believing it shouldn’t be outright banned.
The answer to this question largely depends on the intended use of the swastika symbol. As a matter of public law, postwar German law codes prohibit the display of a swastika in any form or manner, even when used satirically or as part of an anti-Nazi political statement. However, this law is generally applied to the specific five-by-five grid swastika design used during the Nazi era. Several religious organizations have asked the German government for permission to display other forms of the symbol.
Historically, the swastika symbol denotes general peace and world harmony, not the violence and genocide associated with the Nazi movement. The word swastika comes from a Sanskrit word that describes any form of good luck charm. Several other German political and social organizations had already incorporated swastikas into their banners or flags prior to the rise of the National Socialist or Nazi party. While Adolf Hitler was in prison for a failed coup attempt, he conceived the idea of a National Socialist Party flag with a large black swastika in the center.
Hitler’s choice of the swastika was based in part on his strong belief in the Aryan theory or master race. The original Aryans lived in India and were considered to be among the first Caucasian or white invaders of the Eastern world. Hitler believed that the swastika would remind the blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryan descendants in Europe of their rightful place as superiors. The complete annihilation of the inferior Jewish race would ensure purity in the future bloodlines of a world dominated by socialist ideals.
After the fall of the Nazi regime, many Germans felt their new government should distance itself from that tragic and costly period in German history. In addition to banning the publication or ownership of Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf, the West German government made any display or use of the Nazi swastika illegal. This law continues to be tested today, with various neo-Nazi organizations regularly displaying the outlawed Nazi flag at rallies. Even consumer products like t-shirts and bumper stickers can be confiscated if they contain a depiction of a swastika.
Some Germans equate the display of the swastika to the display of the Confederate flag in the United States. Both symbols represent dark times in each country’s history, but the government’s attempt to ban their display could be interpreted as whitewashing, an effort to downplay the significance of the event itself. While most modern Germans bristle at the thought of the Holocaust or Hitler’s reign of terror, some believe that the display of the swastika symbol shouldn’t be outright banned. Often, recognizing a symbol of evil can be the key to detracting from its meaning.
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