Gumtree criticised for Nazi memorabilia listings
The Australian classifieds site, Gumtree, has been criticised for allowing the sale of offensive World War II-era Nazi memorabilia.
Adolf Hitler coins, swastika rings, swords and Hitler Youth badges are some of the items listed, with many on sale for up to $2000.
Examples of Nazi memorabilia being sold on Gumtree
Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission, an Australian Jewish community organisation whose mission is to fight antisemitism and racism, says he was “distressed and outraged” by the “stomach-churning” trade.
“It’s appalling to think that Gumtree is benefiting financially from the peddling of this noxious material to millions of consumers… By making these hate items easily accessible, they are re-victimising all the innocent lives extinguished by Hitler’s evil acts.”
Whilst such paraphernalia may be used for educational purposes in some circumstances, Dr Abramovich points out that actively trading Nazi memorabilia invites discrimination and extremism and may glorify the ideology of The Third Reich.
Examples of Nazi memorabilia being sold on Gumtree
Gumtree’s parent company, eBay, prohibits the sale of Nazi memorabilia due to its “offensive content”, but such items are not explicitly banned on Gumtree’s list of prohibited items. Instead, Gumtree spokeswoman explains that the company has a “broad policy regarding offensive material… We encourage the community to report any offensive ads, including those for Nazi memorabilia, so we can investigate and remove, if necessary”.
The sale of Nazi regalia is strictly prohibited in Austria, France and Germany, but not in Australia. An SS dagger sold for $4,250 at a Sydney auction in 2013. In 2015, in response to the third Nazi memorabilia auction in Canberra within a six month period, Peter Wertheim, the Executive Director of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, expressed dismay at the sale of such items: “it is sad to see how some people are willing to profit from the collection or sale of Nazi and Holocaust memorabilia while remaining ignorant of, or indifferent to, the racism, bigotry, persecution and mass murder with which these items are associated…”
Evidently, the sale of Nazi memorabilia is an ongoing issue, one that continues to be the subject of criticism and public indignation.
You do realize that talking about them promoted them for sale to your readers.
We cant rewrite history.