You’re saying I’m defending them. To me that is no different than calling me one, which is a direct and severe insult. I mean I’m German I’m used to foreigners (especially Americans) throwing the term around with abandon, thereby trivialising it so I’m not really taking it personally but that still doesn’t make it right for you to do. Or Antifa praxis: You’re blunting a weapon.
It’s worth noting though that a moderator of this very website called you a Nazi as their reason for removing your post equating the swastika and the unexpounded upon Germanic culture the Nazis appropriated.
Which website? I see nothing being removed here on my end. I also didn’t equate the Swastika to anything, the thing I did was contrast the Wolfsangel to the Swastika. Explained why they’re different.
Oh, just noticed, back to the actual Azov insignia: This is the original thing. When Azov became National Gurad it was replaced with this one. Notice what’s missing? The pretty much only symbol that is 150% unambiguously Nazi, as in invented by them, not appropriated, not used elsewhere: The black sun. I was also incorrect previously, the Wolfsangel isn’t Svoboda’s Wolfsangel any more, the design differs.
Azov is nazis.
You still haven’t given an argument for that but “they use a symbol that also the Nazis used”. They also eat bread, that’s also a thing the Nazis did. To accuse someone of being a Nazi is an allegation which needs a bit more care than semiotic first impressions.
People can also wear Lonsdale without being Nazis. Even showing the “nsda” with an unzippered jacket. Shit tends to be complicated.
If you can actually provide a solid argument that Azov is Nazis I’ll change my mind immediately.
you can’t display their banner in your home country because it’s a nazi symbol.
I could, because it’s not a Nazi symbol. It would be illegal to use the specific style used by the 2nd SS tank division as that is (as the rest of the SS) an organisation which got declared unconstitutional.
In a nutshell: The Wolfsangel is only forbidden if you’re using it specifically to refer to a forbidden organisation. Unlike with other more recognisable symbols it’s not immediately assumed that any use of them refers to such organisations. Which would be a problem as it’s used in coat of arms, in forestry, whatever.
Which brings me to the next thing:
okay, here’s a solid argument:
…no, it wasn’t. If you want to go the way of German laws then tell me why the Azov regiment should be declared unconstitutional, then their symbol would be outlawed. Not the other way round.
You know what is illegal? Running around with a Z flag: Condoning of crimes, to wit, waging war of aggression.
Did you hear that guys? It’s cool, the Nazi militia is totally fine now because they changed the font of their wolfsangel and rotated it 90 degrees. Yeah, that makes them not Nazis. I know! It sounds weird but those are the rules, you can be an out Nazi organization but if you switch to comic sans and throw a little word art action in the mix you’re good.
You’re still insisting that the current Azov is a bunch of Nazis and therefore the wolfsangel needs to be interpreted as a hate symbol and not neutral heraldry. However, you also base them being Nazis on them using the wolfsangel, unwilling (or unable) to bring up actual evidence of actual Nazi shit in today’s Azov.
As I said in the comment that started this whole thread: Azov got denazified by the state. They went in, removed the black sun (hence why it’s very much relevant), they cracked down on Nazi political expression in the regiment, and even before that tons of Nazis left because they didn’t want to be part of a state organisation that would denazify them.
How can you ignore all that? And why that pin-point focus on Azov? There’s other cases such as the unit now known as the 67th Mechanised, formerly right sector. They also kept the symbols of the Ukraine Volunteer Corps. (Though sword to knife and Kalashnikovs to some other assault rifle. Much better graphic design overall).
You already agreed that the Wolfsangel is not a Nazi symbol as such. If it needs to be avoided because Nazis used it, then the blade-and-rifle stuff also needs to be avoided. Tons of stuff needs to be avoided.
Lastly, another question: Do you have a moral issue with Nazis dying at the front.
I never agreed that the wolfsangel isn’t a Nazi symbol,I conceded that in some very rare circumstances it isn’t used that way and followed it immediately with the qualification that we aren’t talking about those circumstances.
The circumstances we are talking about are pretty much the textbook example of it being used as a Nazi dogwhistle. You acknowledged this. This isn’t one of the times where you can claim it’s like finding the wolfsangel in the crest of an old forester family. Simply bringing that up in this context is literally defending Nazis and I’d like you to stop doing that.
If a Nazi organization uses a symbol (any symbol) as a Nazi dogwhistle, and the government comes in, claims to have cleaned house but keeps the name and that symbol, do you not think that raises some red flags? Does it not make you consider the distinct possibility that they’re not doing a thorough job and just slapping a new coat of paint on the kubelwagon?
I’m not gonna pat the ukranian government on the back for removing the black sun, I’m gonna recognize the fact that they did that instead of completely removing all iconography associated with the Nazi regiment, dissolving it, investigating all people involved thoroughly and moving the men and material into other units or forming a new regiment with strict oversight and discipline and a command structure that’s entirely comprised of army personnel.
Because that’s how you “denazify” without incarcerating or killing the Nazis. Really, it’s how you integrate units that aren’t compatible with your force into yourself. The fact that the ukranian government thought it was enough to change the logo but keep the name and the wolfsangel communicates to anyone watching that they don’t see the Nazi regiment as incompatible with themselves, and they just want people in it to keep their heads down.
If you can stop defending Nazis for a second we can have a laugh at how the 67ths patch shows the profile of consumer grade donated ar-15 rifles with magpul flip up sights and everything. At least the volunteer corps is the iconography of irregulars (the rifles that were already around). When people try to blame everything on nato it’s important to remember that there are whole units whose existence is predicated on corporate sponsorship. Shits fucking grim.
This isn’t one of the times where you can claim it’s like finding the wolfsangel in the crest of an old forester family.
Just for the record: It’s not just some ancient thing you might find somewhere. It’s in active use in German heraldry, family crests, insignia of hunter organisations, etc. It’s a (by now outlawed because cruel) weapon to hunt wolves and foxes. Literally means “wolf rod”, “rod” here in the sense of fishing rod, one side of it would be hung up in a tree, while the part with barbs was equipped with a lure. Have a picture of a reconstruction (just the steel, not the gruesome details).
Semiotically I’d say it’s connected to protection, feistiness, because wolves scary monsters and shit (which really isn’t the case but that’s another can of worms). But consider your run of the mill peasant seeing that thing in a noble crest or such and saying “yep they’re keeping us safe”.
Every German one, two, and five cent coin has oak leaves on it. Same for the D-Mark. Germany is the successor state of Nazi Germany. The SS used oak leaves in insignia. Is the Bundesbank a Nazi organisation? Germany as a whole?
If a Nazi organization uses a symbol (any symbol) as a Nazi dogwhistle, and the government comes in, claims to have cleaned house but keeps the name and that symbol, do you not think that raises some red flags? Does it not make you consider the distinct possibility that they’re not doing a thorough job and just slapping a new coat of paint on the kubelwagon?
I have no reason to believe they weren’t thorough. Have you? Aside from assuming they weren’t thorough by not getting rid of the Wolfsangel. These kinds of insignia aren’t just changed will-nilly, there were a significant number of non-Nazis already in Azov who might’ve liked it, it is not considered to be a Nazi symbol in public Ukrainian perception (though it’s not a common heraldic theme, either, it’s simply “some fancy shape”). They did get rid of the black sun, that one is plain and simply indefensible.
dissolving it […] moving the men and material into other units or forming a new regiment
Ukraine is at war. By pulling regiments apart and reconstituting them you severely fuck with their fighting efficiency: Effective operations require trust in your comrades, requires knowing your comrades, how they will react in what situation, it requires prolonged periods of joint training.
In peace times, sure, that’d be the right thing to do. But Ukraine doesn’t have that luxury. Azov has been fighting Russian invaders since 2014, without pause. For quite a while it was the only regiment really fighting because the Ukrainian army was in complete shambles thanks to hybrid Russian warfare fucking with it. You don’t just dissolve your most experienced force while they’re keeping the enemy from running you over.
and a command structure that’s entirely comprised of army personnel.
…it’s not an army unit, but paramilitary police.
The biggest indicator for me, really, of the denazification working is swathes of Nazis simply packing their stuff and leaving. Why the fuck would they have done that if they had buddies in the interior ministry “only removing the black sun but turning a blind eye to the rest”?
You’re saying I’m defending them. To me that is no different than calling me one, which is a direct and severe insult. I mean I’m German I’m used to foreigners (especially Americans) throwing the term around with abandon, thereby trivialising it so I’m not really taking it personally but that still doesn’t make it right for you to do. Or Antifa praxis: You’re blunting a weapon.
Which website? I see nothing being removed here on my end. I also didn’t equate the Swastika to anything, the thing I did was contrast the Wolfsangel to the Swastika. Explained why they’re different.
Oh, just noticed, back to the actual Azov insignia: This is the original thing. When Azov became National Gurad it was replaced with this one. Notice what’s missing? The pretty much only symbol that is 150% unambiguously Nazi, as in invented by them, not appropriated, not used elsewhere: The black sun. I was also incorrect previously, the Wolfsangel isn’t Svoboda’s Wolfsangel any more, the design differs.
You still haven’t given an argument for that but “they use a symbol that also the Nazis used”. They also eat bread, that’s also a thing the Nazis did. To accuse someone of being a Nazi is an allegation which needs a bit more care than semiotic first impressions.
People can also wear Lonsdale without being Nazis. Even showing the “nsda” with an unzippered jacket. Shit tends to be complicated.
If you can actually provide a solid argument that Azov is Nazis I’ll change my mind immediately.
okay, here’s a solid argument: you can’t display their banner in your home country because it’s a nazi symbol.
you just tried to equate using a symbol with its own ADL page in a right wing nationalist millitia with eating bread.
do you see the absurdity of your position here?
I could, because it’s not a Nazi symbol. It would be illegal to use the specific style used by the 2nd SS tank division as that is (as the rest of the SS) an organisation which got declared unconstitutional.
In a nutshell: The Wolfsangel is only forbidden if you’re using it specifically to refer to a forbidden organisation. Unlike with other more recognisable symbols it’s not immediately assumed that any use of them refers to such organisations. Which would be a problem as it’s used in coat of arms, in forestry, whatever.
Which brings me to the next thing:
…no, it wasn’t. If you want to go the way of German laws then tell me why the Azov regiment should be declared unconstitutional, then their symbol would be outlawed. Not the other way round.
You know what is illegal? Running around with a Z flag: Condoning of crimes, to wit, waging war of aggression.
Well, you’re definitely German.
Did you hear that guys? It’s cool, the Nazi militia is totally fine now because they changed the font of their wolfsangel and rotated it 90 degrees. Yeah, that makes them not Nazis. I know! It sounds weird but those are the rules, you can be an out Nazi organization but if you switch to comic sans and throw a little word art action in the mix you’re good.
Curious how you left out the disappearance of the black sun in your polemics.
We aren’t talking about the black sun.
We’re talking about how you will accept nazis using known hate symbol the wolfsangel when they change the font and rotate it 90 degrees.
You’re still insisting that the current Azov is a bunch of Nazis and therefore the wolfsangel needs to be interpreted as a hate symbol and not neutral heraldry. However, you also base them being Nazis on them using the wolfsangel, unwilling (or unable) to bring up actual evidence of actual Nazi shit in today’s Azov.
As I said in the comment that started this whole thread: Azov got denazified by the state. They went in, removed the black sun (hence why it’s very much relevant), they cracked down on Nazi political expression in the regiment, and even before that tons of Nazis left because they didn’t want to be part of a state organisation that would denazify them.
How can you ignore all that? And why that pin-point focus on Azov? There’s other cases such as the unit now known as the 67th Mechanised, formerly right sector. They also kept the symbols of the Ukraine Volunteer Corps. (Though sword to knife and Kalashnikovs to some other assault rifle. Much better graphic design overall).
You already agreed that the Wolfsangel is not a Nazi symbol as such. If it needs to be avoided because Nazis used it, then the blade-and-rifle stuff also needs to be avoided. Tons of stuff needs to be avoided.
Lastly, another question: Do you have a moral issue with Nazis dying at the front.
I never agreed that the wolfsangel isn’t a Nazi symbol,I conceded that in some very rare circumstances it isn’t used that way and followed it immediately with the qualification that we aren’t talking about those circumstances.
The circumstances we are talking about are pretty much the textbook example of it being used as a Nazi dogwhistle. You acknowledged this. This isn’t one of the times where you can claim it’s like finding the wolfsangel in the crest of an old forester family. Simply bringing that up in this context is literally defending Nazis and I’d like you to stop doing that.
If a Nazi organization uses a symbol (any symbol) as a Nazi dogwhistle, and the government comes in, claims to have cleaned house but keeps the name and that symbol, do you not think that raises some red flags? Does it not make you consider the distinct possibility that they’re not doing a thorough job and just slapping a new coat of paint on the kubelwagon?
I’m not gonna pat the ukranian government on the back for removing the black sun, I’m gonna recognize the fact that they did that instead of completely removing all iconography associated with the Nazi regiment, dissolving it, investigating all people involved thoroughly and moving the men and material into other units or forming a new regiment with strict oversight and discipline and a command structure that’s entirely comprised of army personnel.
Because that’s how you “denazify” without incarcerating or killing the Nazis. Really, it’s how you integrate units that aren’t compatible with your force into yourself. The fact that the ukranian government thought it was enough to change the logo but keep the name and the wolfsangel communicates to anyone watching that they don’t see the Nazi regiment as incompatible with themselves, and they just want people in it to keep their heads down.
If you can stop defending Nazis for a second we can have a laugh at how the 67ths patch shows the profile of consumer grade donated ar-15 rifles with magpul flip up sights and everything. At least the volunteer corps is the iconography of irregulars (the rifles that were already around). When people try to blame everything on nato it’s important to remember that there are whole units whose existence is predicated on corporate sponsorship. Shits fucking grim.
Just for the record: It’s not just some ancient thing you might find somewhere. It’s in active use in German heraldry, family crests, insignia of hunter organisations, etc. It’s a (by now outlawed because cruel) weapon to hunt wolves and foxes. Literally means “wolf rod”, “rod” here in the sense of fishing rod, one side of it would be hung up in a tree, while the part with barbs was equipped with a lure. Have a picture of a reconstruction (just the steel, not the gruesome details).
Semiotically I’d say it’s connected to protection, feistiness, because wolves scary monsters and shit (which really isn’t the case but that’s another can of worms). But consider your run of the mill peasant seeing that thing in a noble crest or such and saying “yep they’re keeping us safe”.
Every German one, two, and five cent coin has oak leaves on it. Same for the D-Mark. Germany is the successor state of Nazi Germany. The SS used oak leaves in insignia. Is the Bundesbank a Nazi organisation? Germany as a whole?
I have no reason to believe they weren’t thorough. Have you? Aside from assuming they weren’t thorough by not getting rid of the Wolfsangel. These kinds of insignia aren’t just changed will-nilly, there were a significant number of non-Nazis already in Azov who might’ve liked it, it is not considered to be a Nazi symbol in public Ukrainian perception (though it’s not a common heraldic theme, either, it’s simply “some fancy shape”). They did get rid of the black sun, that one is plain and simply indefensible.
Ukraine is at war. By pulling regiments apart and reconstituting them you severely fuck with their fighting efficiency: Effective operations require trust in your comrades, requires knowing your comrades, how they will react in what situation, it requires prolonged periods of joint training.
In peace times, sure, that’d be the right thing to do. But Ukraine doesn’t have that luxury. Azov has been fighting Russian invaders since 2014, without pause. For quite a while it was the only regiment really fighting because the Ukrainian army was in complete shambles thanks to hybrid Russian warfare fucking with it. You don’t just dissolve your most experienced force while they’re keeping the enemy from running you over.
…it’s not an army unit, but paramilitary police.
The biggest indicator for me, really, of the denazification working is swathes of Nazis simply packing their stuff and leaving. Why the fuck would they have done that if they had buddies in the interior ministry “only removing the black sun but turning a blind eye to the rest”?