Why does the Third Reich attract so many collectors?

[stuka f]

Most of what I have read apply's to me as well, in one or the other way!
Nothing to ad!
Exept that I wouldn't give my pet's names related to WWII! Just had a bike (BMW RS 1000)I named and special painted"Enola gay"....
And I wanted to call my son "Dolf" or "Max"at his birth...but I got the entyre familly against me and there was like a "veto"... I am sure it at to do with me collecting TR stuff ...
Dolf, is short for Adolf; a very commoun name in Antwerp before the war!! And Max is/was a dog's name around here....
My daughter is called Britt (my first choice!), and didn't had any effort to convince the family council for that one...
cheers
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[stuka f]

Also want to ad that I do not collect exclusively TR stuff, I like and have militaria of other country's as well. Specialy like the Belgian Congo items as well, (also controversially to some....!).
When I collect car's.... I did start with German air cooled engine's .....
I now collect medical stuff, old telephone's, clock's, silver and china; also German items among these objects...
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[drmessimer]

OBkrieger, Neil Hever, and Good Pwny each, in one way or another, expressed views that I believe many collectors share. And to a large degree, I share them too. The first view deals with the physical attractiveness of Third Reich artifacts. OBKrieger wrote that "...the attention to detail in Nazi-era items were incredible..." while Neil Hever described them as, "...simply the most interesting and aesthetically intriguing material out there. From the shape of the Stahlhelm to the age old iron cross image there are no other military images that compare." And in a slightly more introspective way, Good Pwny wrote, "I just really can't remember a time when I didn't see things like feldgrau, balkan crosses, grey steel, red, white, and black flags, and swastikas, and NOT freak out like a teenage girl is a shoe store."

Neil Hever, and Good Pwny both touched on an issue that others have also mentioned, which is the onus of taboo that attends all Third Reich artifacts; a condition that affects some of us more than others. Popular conventional wisdom among the politically correct holds that the Third Reich was a rogue social/political event that can only be talked about in vilifying terms. All Nazis were evil and anything associated with the Third Reich is a symbol of hate--especially the swastika. According to the vocal, politically correct crowd, which is much larger than many realize, and growing, all those symbols of hate should be expunged. The same group concludes that anyone who collects Third Reich artifacts must is in effect be glorifying the Nazis, and thus a closet hate monger. In some places that sort of skewed thinking has been enacted into laws prohibiting the display and sales of Nazi era items. Whether or not the fact that the onus exists makes Third Reich artifacts more or less attractive, I can't say. But it does affect all of us to one degree or another.

Thank you OBkrieger, Neil Hever, and Good Pwny for posting. Dwight

[drmessimer]

Stuka f: I always enjoy reading your posts, which like #31 often make me chuckle, and I appreciate that you always have something good to add to any discussion. In this case you have added the element of diversity of interests. I'm pretty sure that many of the Forum members collect in areas outside of the Third Reich, and I certainly did not intend to limit this thread to those who collect only Third Reich artifacts. I hope that we will see some photos of your other interests. Thanks for the post. Dwight

[stuka f]

Hey Dwight,
glad my input is appreciated!
I very much like reading your posts too! Very stylish, instructive, with a rich vocabulary.
I was very much aware the thread wasn't ment for collectors only collecting TR stuff!!
I don't want to go to much of topic by putting the pic's and additional comments of my actual and old intrests. But most have been posted on thise very forum.
Here are some links
armor
My previous collection
Other hobbies besides collecting militaria?,
Other hobbies besides collecting militaria?,
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/discu...taria-63501-4/
non military collections
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/photo...ad-type-22334/
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/dagge...21/#post143157
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/discu...971/#post29535

Enjoy
|<ris

[drmessimer]

Kris: What a nice compliment you paid me; thank you. I'm the product of my mother who was an English major and Phi Beta Kapa. My brother and I called her the "General," for several good reasons. She was a rather difficult woman to live with, but she had high standards, demanded obedience, and would not tolerate someone asking, "Where are you at?" to which she always responded, "Before the at!!!" The implied, "You idiot" went unsaid but was, never-the-less recognized. In our househod, we learned rather quickly to avoid the colloquial usage. The Best to you. Dwight

[herrzark]

i like generally millitaria..but 3 reich more , maybe because there is no 3 reich anymore..

[drmessimer]

herrzark: The attraction of the "lost civilization" so to speak, appears to be a common motive. In a way, everyone who collects artifacts and does the accompanying research, is engaging in a form or archeology. Within the Third reich, on what do you focus? Thanks for the post. Dwight

[herrzark]

herrzark: The attraction of the "lost civilization" so to speak, appears to be a common motive. In a way, everyone who collects artifacts and does the accompanying research, is engaging in a form or archeology. Within the Third reich, on what do you focus? Thanks for the post. Dwight

yes it is true.it is like archeology.I wanted to be a archeologist but could not .I like history. In third reich i try to focus in everything it has and historic value.Dont prefer something especially.everything

[greimers]

Perhaps from a different perspective, as I have stated in previous unrelated posts, I come from a family military history that encompasses Franco-Prussian. Boer war, !st WW, 2ndWW amd post service, many of whom served in deemed elite units. I believe to understand the Third Reich one needs to first understand the repercussions of the V- Treaty 1919. My family geneolagy is half german/australian, my Australian Grandfather never tolerated any abuse of my German Father's Luftwaffe service or that of other German family member's U-Boot and SS service. At school I was subjected to group/gang assaults for being a "Jerry" "Hun" Kraut" "Fritz" "Nazi" simply because my Father was German, without even knowing my Father's service. These assaults were normally by large Italian or Serbian groups, the enheartening memory was that Australian's would step in and quite literally prevent me from being kicked to death. Sorry if I'm off-track but the reason I hold Third Reich militaria is to commemerate and respect the honorable military service my family members have completed according to their ruling government.