Paul Kaps SS General's Schirmmeutze - potentially!

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The Pionier is the only one I kept out of the 3. It's not often you find a hat with velvet piping AND leather peak. Quite exceptional.

I have a funny story about it though. A few years ago I was due to visit my Mum for Christmas. She had been on the phone before hand asking what I'd been up to. I told her that I had found the most amazing German hat so she said that I should bring it along to show her. I took it to her house that Christmas and she looked at it and said "disgusting! why are you interested in this Nazi stuff?"

My family is still disgusted by my bad habits after fifty years. You cannot expect acclamation.

[KSH]

My family is still disgusted by my bad habits after fifty years. You cannot expect acclamation.

Not many people know that I have some Third Reich related items in my collection - it carries a lot of stigma here in Norway (and pretty much anywhere in the western world). After those shootings and bombing by Anders Behring Breivik (who in his manifesto states nothing but contempt for the Nazis) in July, it has become even more difficult. Right after the attacks a collector was raided by police in full Gestapo-style because persons passing by had seen "Nazi effects" through his windows... I suppose the fact that I collect German historical items from the Napoleonic Wars to the end of the 2nd World War perhaps would make people more lenient? I have many items from the 1st World War for instance from the German States.

- Kenneth

[Friedrich-Berthold]

We all adhere to the preservation of human rights and constitutional fundamentals as in Article II (democracy) of the Washington Treaty (NATO) and pursue no hateful, racist, extremist, and violent political ends with this site or with our collection.

The delayed discovery of the NSU Pink Panther Nazis in Zwickau, who, unlike Breivik, signified a classical neo Nazis cell, adds a further dimension to contemporary events with resonance of the past.

Our site is not political, and devoted to the study, care, and maintenance of historical artifacts without a radical right wing political purpose. If you want to do same, go to the 100,000 other sites that pursue just this aim.

My Norwegian colleague is obviously interested in history.

My family's disgust had more to do with my failure either to become an accountant or a historical novelist.

At the same time, Germany is my second home, as is Austria, and most of my friends are Germans and Austrians, and many included at an earlier time those who had lived through the III. Reich and were people in whom I had very high esteem and still do.

Plus, I like German women, too, especially.

[HPL2008]

Not many people know that I have some Third Reich related items in my collection - it carries a lot of stigma here in Norway (and pretty much anywhere in the western world). After those shootings and bombing by Anders Behring Breivik (who in his manifest state nothing but contempt for the Nazis) in July, it has become even more difficult. Right after the attacks a collector was raided by police in full Gestapo-style because persons passing by had seen "Nazi effects" through his windows...

Unfortunately, this is rather typical, isn't it?

Everytime something terrible and incomprehensible - like Breivik's appalling crimes, the latest school shooting or any other kind of killing spree - occurs, the media and the authorities lash out against some scapegoat group or cultural phenomenon, whether it is really relevant to the killer's motivation or not.

Had Breivik been known to be an enthusiastic computer gamer, they would be banning computer games, had he been an avid sports shooter, they would take a closer look on rifle clubs.

Too bad that this Breivik character does not really fit into any drawer, though, except, of course, "schizophrenic", but that is not a handy one...
Ah, well, since he was opposed to left-wing politics and immigrants... he simply must be a Nazi, so let's take action against anybody and anything having anything to do with that and the world is safe again!

Really, this kind of prejudice against harmless collectors annoys me all the more these days as we here in Germany only just had to learn that a small group of very real and very dangerous Neo-Nazis had been active here; plotting and killing for more than a decade under the noses of our various police and intelligence agencies.

I suppose the fact that I collect German historical items from the Napoleonic Wars to the end of the 2nd World War perhaps would make people more lenient? I have many items from the 1st World War for instance from the German States.

This may indeed help with the public's perception of you having a general historical interest.

Actually, something that I could never quite understand is the fact that so many people automatically assume anybody interested in Third Reich items to be a Nazi, simply equating interest with identification.

Oddly enough, this assumption seems to exist only in connection with Third Reich items.

At least I have never had the impression that Red Army collectors are automatically assumed to be Stalinists or that collectors of ancient Roman artifacts are suspected of worshipping Jupiter, planning to conquer Europe and being in favor of re-introducing gladiator games...

[KSH]

Actually, something that I could never quite understand is the fact that so many people automatically assume anybody interested in Third Reich items to be a Nazi, simply equating interest with identification.

The Third Reich era is simply the most studied period of human history be it ancient or modern. Applying the above quoted logic to Holocaust historians for instance might produce some interesting results...

I can fully support and share all the points you bring up in your very reflected post here, Andreas.





About Breivik being "paranoid schizophrenic"... in my honest opinion this evaluation of Breivik is a travesty and flat out ridiculous (many critical voices in Norway and elsewhere have arisen lately). Example: When Breivik was preparing the bomb at the rural farm he was renting, he was very afraid that the Norwegian security service (PST) was onto him and he feared that they had mounted cameras in the vicinity to observe him - which is a very reasonable fear for a man preparing such a plan. But in the evaluation this is described as being signs of clinical paranoia - a mental illness...and it just goes on and on in this evaluation. Using this kind of framework Hitler and Stalin were also paranoid schizophrenics, and let's not forget Vidkun Quisling etc... It is very dangerous to equate extreme political positions with a psychologically distorted perception of reality, like in many cases of paranoid schizophrenia. A bit off topic now, but just wanted to mention this. I am truly ashamed on my country's behalf when two so-called "experts" can produce such a piece of rubbish as this evaluation. I have seen this tendency in Norway develop over many years within judicial psychiatry - to make people responsible for such acts "sicker" and "sicker" until there is no responsibility left - "it was just a disease that caused it". Where will it end?

- Kenneth

[BenVK]

I didn't anticipate the discussion going in this direction but I congratulate the members who contributed for their well thought out and interesting responses in regards to some very sensitive topics.

[KSH]

I didn't anticipate the discussion going in this direction but I congratulate the members who contributed for their well thought out and interesting responses in regards to some very sensitive topics.

Please excuse my digression regarding the recent evaluation of Anders Behring Breivik's mental state, Ben - this is of course only my own opinion and not relevant to this forum. But this case and its implications for Third Reich collectors in my country are very relevant and unfortunate, alas.

- Kenneth

[BenVK]

Discussions of this nature are enough to make any moderator very nervous Kenneth but you have all written relevant and informative opinions which is why I felt the need to say thank you.

[KSH]

Discussions of this nature are enough to make any moderator very nervous Kenneth but you have all written relevant and informative opinions which is why I felt the need to say thank you.

I know, Ben - I have vowed to myself never to discuss politics per se on this or other such forums. It can easily get ugly and besides, that's not what we're here for. But of course since politics (and other potentially sensitive issues) permeate our daily lives in myriad ways it is impossible to keep any discussion forum 100% free of it. I am glad that we can all act respectfully towards each other here when such issues will arise!

- Kenneth

[ObKrieger]

Very interesting thread, guys. I can only say that I love this forum and how we focus entirely on militaria, but I don't mind the occasional relevant off-topic conversation. Apart from the occasional disrespectful new member and bouts of racism I have seen here, it has been a very good experience to be a member of this forum and I thank you all for helping me learn about the hobby more than I ever could without without you.

"Everytime something terrible and incomprehensible - like Breivik's appalling crimes, the latest school shooting or any other kind of killing spree - occurs, the media and the authorities lash out against some scapegoat group or cultural phenomenon, whether it is really relevant to the killer's motivation or not."

Andreas, I could not agree with you more! I have been on the ugly end of this for more than just collecting German militaria.

Although I can also say that the 90% of people who look at my collection for the first time and say, "Wow! You have some really amazing history here! What was this used for?" certainly make up for the 10% who may think that I am a Nazi.