I think that court is right. Check out Wikipedia for the historical use of the swastika, both left and right spinning versions. That symbol is so jarring to sensitivities, though. Hitler ruined it for everybody. If I was in the government I would be looking pretty closely at any group that used it.

It says a lot about the Baltic culture.

The swastika has been an religious symbol of American Indians for generations. It was also the symbol for the Finnish armed forces prior to the conclusion of WW II. The Nazis adopted the swastika to reflect their weird beliefs in the occult and in turned stained this ancient symbol with the blood of millions during WW II. Unfortunately, the stain now seems to be indelibly attached to the swastika.

So Lithuania’s Nazi past goes way beyond 1941. Interesting. If someone outside Lithuania told me this I would have laughed it off but the Court of Lithuania and its President telling us this, it is very concerning prospect coming from the Baltic countries. If the President of Lithuania is proud by having displayed the Nazi symbol Swastika in front of his Palace for the celebration of the May Day, then the international community has a problem on its hands with the revival of the Nazi past by this country. Time for containment only 20 years after its independence.

To Fremder. What do you mean ? I don't want to insult you, bet in the picture you see Lithuanian ring from 12-13 century. Lithuanians used what you call swastika before A. Hitler decided to use for his party. About Baltic culture, you look under name Sarmatia. Baltic that’s another Germanic idea. Al what you call Baltic tribes are Sarmatians.Not very long ago Baltic sea was Oceanicus Sarmaticus. Anybody who is interested in history need to find time to study this archaic nation. Best regards

To Paul It is well known that swastika is much older than German Nazism, however in modern Europe this symbol has too strong a connection with Nazism. If you consider the Lithuanians’ collaboration with German Nazis, there can unfortunately be only one read on the usage of the swastika in this country. Why not think that a hammer and a sickle are just tools, that appeared much earlier than that the Soviet Union? Nevertheless they are just forbidden if shown together in Lithuania, aren’t they?

it is pertinent to ask that since this tiny nation was brought into the European Union, what is official position of the European Union on glorification of the most potent symbol of Fascist/Nazi Germany by the courts of this tiny Baltic nation with will documented past of collaboration with fascist Germany? The re-writing the historical meaning of the Swastika is part of considered strategies of rewriting the History of WWII. Since this symbol is banned in Germany, why Germany is not protesting this and similar recuperation of Nazi symbols in the Baltic states? I think it is Germany’s ambiguous silence that it is the most troubling sign than what this tiny Baltic nation is doing with its glorification of the Swastika as part of its WWII heritage!

I have seen a large, multi-storied sandstone bank building of a major Australian bank, in a major Australian city, decorated at about the second-floor level by an unbroken band of swastikas circling the entire outer wall of the building. The building looked like it was constructed around the 1920s. Perhaps Stole should complain. What gives symbols their power is not their shape, but their emotional content. People have suffered horribly under both the modern swastika and the hammer and sickle. Out of deference for the pain of their victims, each of these in their modern context should be kept out of sight.

It is a historical legacy,but it is a symbolisim of how a Dictator,with a derrange mind viewed what he thought of Humans of a different culture or background.And only half-wits and imbeciles would think otherwise.If we hav'nt learnt anything from our world wars,then we are poor apologies of the human race.P.S And most events since then,has shown our goverments are still ignorant ,and we our represented by idiots.

I don't how Lithunian had got as their historic legacy? Historically Germans are Aryans as Indians.This is why Hitler used Swastica. If we go through Sanksrit and German we will see their plenty common words used by both side of the people. I don't know whether Baltic people are Aryan or Caucasian. May be Lithunians learnt from Germans. But whatever, Swastika had been used by Hitler and that caused death of millions of people accross the world. This sign been hatred by the whole world and I don't understand how Lithunian court declared that this is their historic legacy? By accepting Swastika what do they want say? What do they want? Do they want to say that Nazis are better than Russians or do they want to encourage Nazism to protect from Russia? I don't know about politics, but from South-East Asia what I understand that Lithunia is playing some very dangerous thing which is not good.

Thanking World, to understand the Perpetuity+Holiness+Sacred reverence to the"SWASTIKA"symbol. Since the time immemorial, it is revered as the sign of Prosperity+Valour+Blessing, in all the Shaivites+Vaishnavites+Shakta+Hindu+Buddhist+Jain+Sikhs+Other Sects of the Greater Hindusthan(Aryavarta,Bharat,Bharatavarsha,Sindhudesh,India : names of Greater India). The ""OMKAR+CHAKRA+SWASTIKA""are the inseparable things for the Greater India and the ill-will of any instance, can never degrade these premier signatures of humanity... Mere the implementation of a sacred thing at wrong place, can't stigmatize it. There are many living or non living instances in this world, which are still standing before the evil and bad things. It doesn't meant that, being stigmatized by the vice, the effect of boon will turn into curse. It is overwhelmingly positive thing, that the world is turning towards the ABSOLUTE perception of these symbols, rather measuring it on the relative context of a particular historic time and place...

Swastika is the holiest symbol of Hinduism and by induction all other Indian faiths i.e Jainism,Buddhism,Sikhism etc.Banning it is as absurd as banning the cross because the KKK burns them in the US.

Congratulations on the Lithuanian court for displaying common sense on this matter. The truth is that the swastika and the Third Reich have been demonised by all since the end of world war II. Adolf Hitler in time will be seen as one of the greatest leaders any country has ever had. He pulled Germany from the pits of depression and gave the entire nation hope again. The annexing of Austria, and other areas of Europe was all done for the German people living outside of Germany, and who in many cases were being discriminated against in their host countries. Germany did not start World War II. Britain declared war. At the end of the day " the victors write history", hence the demonisation. At least this one small country of Lithuania has had the courage to express the truth about this sacred ancient symbol.

people, you look silly, being scared of symbols

May 22, 2010, 03:11, James Swapan Peris wrote > I don't how Lithunian had got as their historic legacy? Historically Germans are Aryans as Indians.This is why Hitler used Swastica. If we go through Sanksrit and German we will see their plenty common words used by both side of the people. I don't know whether Baltic people are Aryan or Caucasian. May be Lithunians learnt from Germans. But whatever, Swastika had been used by Hitler and that caused death of millions of people accross the world. This sign been hatred by the whole world and I don't understand how Lithunian court declared that this is their historic legacy? By accepting Swastika what do they want say? What do they want? Do they want to say that Nazis are better than Russians or do they want to encourage Nazism to protect from Russia? I don't know about politics, but from South-East Asia what I understand that Lithunia is playing some very dangerous thing which is not good. Lithuania language and Sanskrit are more similar then German and Sanskrit. Lithuanians are more aryans then germans. Lithuanians can read the oldest writings if they know what signs they used, thats what was hidden from us for a long time. Lithuanians were those Sarmatians and also people from Atlantis. That's what Hitler dreamed about, but he was wrong, it wasn't germans who were the masters of Aryans.

Leave the Lithuanians alone . What they believe in is their belief . The court made the right decission . I want to migrate there . This has all started because of the introduction of multiculturism . Once a pure country is filling up with other countries garbage . This is happening in australia now for many years . Look at the excretement we have today . I do not want to se any country ADULTERATED . If I go to england , I want to see england

August 17, 2010, 05:09, Murray Holmes wrote > Leave the Lithuanians alone . What they believe in is their belief . The court made the right decission . I want to migrate there . This has all started because of the introduction of multiculturism . Once a pure country is filling up with other countries garbage . This is happening in australia now for many years . Look at the excretement we have today . I do not want to se any country ADULTERATED . If I go to england , I want to see england < I dont want to see Pakistan . If I go to America , I want to see America not Africa .If I go to LITHUANIA , I want to see LITHUANIA , not Polish or russians . > Have a nice day .

Well said Murray Holmes I agree totally. Ireland was one of the last white and celtic countries in Europe. Today its become a cesspool of black african and east european immigrants. Visitors to here must wonder where the Irish are gone? Every hotel, restaurant, cafe, nightclub, etc have mostly foreign people working for them. Many have very little or next to no english so actually getting what u ask for is like opening a lucky bag! All this in the name of multiculturalism and growth! Their groups dictate to our schools about how our children are being taught. What religious beliefs are offensive to them! Can u imagine going to any of their countries ( not that you would want to visit these third world kips) and telling them not to teach certain things because we found it offensive? You would be told where to get off and rightly so!" When in Rome do as the romans do" otherwise piss off back to your own countries and leave us alone!

The swastika has a long and storied history in a succession of Indo-European cultures. That Hitler absconded it is Hitler's doing. There is no problem in telling apart the swastika when it is being used by neo-Nazi skinheads from the swastika when it appears in cultures from the Baltic and beyond back to India. It is only ignorance that makes people think the swastika as a "cultural symbol" has anything to do with Nazism.