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Swastika raised in Baltic country – tribute to history or Nazi revival?
Published: 07 June, 2010, 06:47
Edited: 22 September, 2010, 22:59
TAGS: Conflict, Scandal, Hate crimes, Europe, Baltic states, History
The swastika is considered a Nazi symbol and banned in most of Europe. But a Lithuanian court recently ruled that it's not exclusively a Nazi emblem after students displayed the symbol at an independence parade.
The decision shocked many in the country, as they say it may now be used by neo-Nazis.
“I wanted people to think outside the box,” said Milvydas Juskauskas, one of the parade organizers. “That’s why I decided to look for a symbol which would urge them to do so. And I chose the ancient swastika – a symbol of light, fire and universe – as a perfect match. The swastika – once a sacred symbol – is now being misinterpreted and humiliated.”
It is, of course, etched forever in history as the sign of Nazi horror. But the march’s organizer said the symbol of Nazism was around long before Hitler.
A balcony with swastikas belongs to a 19th century building in the heart of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Historians say that the swastika, as a symbol, is very popular in this part of the world. And it had been popular long before Adolf Hitler was born.
A professor in Vilnius says the swastika was an ancient symbol of fire and sun in places including China and Europe – even appearing on the first Soviet banknotes.
“I’ve come across swastikas a lot during decades of archeological research,” maintained Alekseus Lukhtanas, professor of archeology. “They can be found as decorations for ancient wallets, on clay pots and hats. And they are thousands of years old.”
But he’s opposed to the marchers’ revival of the symbol – notorious as the emblem of the Nazis. He questions their motivation in choosing a motif bonded in the public mind to a creed of extermination and hatred, rather than ancient history.
“One thing is an ancient symbol of fire and prosperity,” Lukhtanas said. “The other is when someone tries to use it for whatever their motivation is. I don’t believe they did it for archeological purposes. It was a very bad promotion. If they did, why wouldn’t they promote any other archeological findings on banners?”
And at first, Lithuanian authorities thought the same way. The students were originally arrested and put on trial for the illegal display of fascist symbols. But in a court decision that surprised and shocked many – they were acquitted. The judge saw no malicious intent in their actions – believing their story that they were promoting a historical symbol.
Further, a political activist says it’s an extremely sinister and dangerous development for his country.
“We see in Lithuania the process of rehabilitation of Nazi collaborators,” noted Algerdas Paletskis, the Frontas movement leader, “We see that people who fought against the Red army – Lithuanians fighting on Hitler’s side – are being rehabilitated. So this court decision legalizes the proliferation of swastika. At least in Lithuania swastikas can now be drawn by any artist and they will be in a position to say that it’s legal by the court.”
In Lithuania, the display of both Nazi and Soviet symbols is outlawed. But many are wondering if the court’s verdict may open the way for neo-Nazis to use history as a cover-up for fascist demonstrations.
07.06.2010, 05:34
2 comments
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Outrageous claims from you two. One would think that after all these socialist years in XX century Europe middle class would be educated enough to verify their claims prior to submitting them online. Guess I am wrong (oh, dear - another socialist malinvestment?).
Ancient archeological escavations clearly show symbol of light being part of the heritage of the Balts. And so it has always been, also in other parts of the world (as other commentators kindly and correctly pointed out). Do not like it? Maybe you two should take a Virgin Galactic flight instead of trying to associate a psychopath Austrian and Zionist agenda with nations who are merely interested in embarking on a archeological journey to try and explore historical facts?
P.S. I know for a fact that Zionists are unhappy that the Balts have not fully resolved the question of reinstating pre-WWII property rights to all claimants, many of them being of Jewish descent, but surely this Nazi-hysteria and anti-Jew propaganda emanating from English-based sources must be a cheeky and pathetic tactical move, would you not agree?
Former socilaist countries are on a crusade to equate Nazism and socialism, with one purpose: a pro-western, pro-fascist agenda.
As I have pointed out in other posts:
Nazi Germany: glorification of war, endless violence, genocide, death
camps, invasion of countless countries, total and utter self-destruction
in little over a decade after starting the worst war in human history
USSR: full employment, free world-class education and healthcare to all
citizens, multi-culturalism, committed anti-fascism, assistance to
anti-colonial movements all over the world throughout the post-war
period.
Someone care to explain how these two systems are "the same"?
'Former socilaist countries are on a crusade to equate Nazism and socialism'
You emphasize the eventual fruits of the regimes, not the tools used to achieve that, whilst completely ignoring historical facts. Herein I can see the fatal error in your judgment (not that if you cared, obviously - otherwise why posting comments online about something you have not got a clue about?).
I wonder what would KJ think if he was put out there on the front line in the name of Bolshevik Russia and whilst being struck by a moment of sobriety caused by a fact of not actually quite liking as to what path lies ahead (or starting to question insanity of war itself) would try to turn back and retreat. Here he would quickly be silenced by KGB echelons (USSR-like Gestapo) which were more than keen to silence any deserter they see forever. This is why (amongst other circumstances) USSR had so many casualties, and this is why it had such a 'brave' (rather 'grave') army.
I will not go into great detail, only mention that Hitler emerged as a direct consequence of the treaty of Versailles (i.e. de facto designed by Entente itself), which Lord Keynes so vigorously opposed himself. Maybe that is the reason that sometimes I hear a host of English speakers always keenly vilifying Germans and but not that keenly their Allied Bolshevik forces?
As for the poor Balts, their population was reduced by quarter if not more, many of whom either went straight to Soviet gulags, or ended up fighting their own families (one being a patriot forced to hide deep in the forest, the other (cousin/ a neighbour) being forced to join USSR Army because at the time this was the only way to feed his family and kids (now we de facto know that many partisans were shot dead and swiftly forgotten)...