A coincidence of names
The Herald reports on a controversy over Nazi uniforms at a military re-enactment dinner:
Steve Goodman, of the Military Re-enactment Society, said the photos of Nazi images had been taken out of context. He said different army units – including American troops – were represented at the dinner which had been themed as 1940s Germany.
Mr Goodman said he was taking legal action against the person who had been spreading highly defamatory information about the society.
The chairman of the Jewish Council of New Zealand, also called Stephen Goodman, said the photos did not show anything “insidious”.
I would not have thought Stephen Goodman was that common a name!
In terms of the main issue, I think this is an over-reaction. The dinner was firstly a private event, but secondly many army units were represented there. That is different to the normal bouts of stupidity around Nazi uniforms.
Secretary Cliff Tuckey said they dressed as German soldiers, but every effort was made to downplay the symbol. “We never want to upset anyone if possible,” he said. “We don’t fly swastika flags, we don’t wear any insignia that can be seen at a distance.”
Its not a hobby I would choose, but if you are going to re-enact WWII, it is hard to do it without the Germans!
December 26th, 2009 at 10:46 am
About time the RSA got over itself. There is much to admire from the early 1930’s Germany, especially in music and cabaret acts. Would the RSA also come down on Marrianne Faithful for her performances of thsoe songs?
Nice to see too a Jewish spokesman who avoided the instant knee jerk usually associated with Jews and ww2.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:24 am
If people want to privately dress up in Nazi uniforms, german army uniforms or any other bloody uniform for a private event then what the hell should any one else care?
December 26th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Far out. First time I agree with the dreadful billyborker.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:47 am
There is rather an overwhelming proportion of military re-enactors who want to be on the Nazi team. There have been some very damning undercover investigations by journalists in the UK.
December 26th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
The police are at it again, watch you wear to private parties some do-gooder will find offence.
December 26th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
I feel sadly sorry for the media – they must be desperate if they have to bother with such trivia as this.
Whilst I have the utmost respect for the RSA – why bother to comment? – it only gives fuel to the poverty striven media.
Most people could not care a damn for this report – its kids doing what they always have done – behaved stupidly without consideration for anybody – this is not a new curse.
December 26th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
There’s something disturbing about grown men wanting to play dress-up.
December 26th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Sorry, can someone explain the thumbs down I got there?
December 26th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Well, I saw four, but I like odd numbers.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
As to the Nazi dress-up, in the UK some reenactor groups were in fact neo-Nazis claiming to be reenactors, so as to take advantage of some legal issue.
Anecdote: in 1989 I saw an American serving in the US forces in Germany attend a re-enactment in Britain dressed as a member of an SS Panzer Division; nobody made a fuss about it, perhaps because he was as black as black could be.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Good grief. I too, agree with Billy Borker.
The Germans had the smartest uniforms; the best weapons by far; probably the best generals and the best R & D. In the end, they were beaten by weight of numbers – industry, men and inferior weapons – and superior military intelligence.
Even a dead dog’s donger could have beaten Rommel if he was reading all his signals to and from High Command. Of course Patton thought such WAS the case.
December 27th, 2009 at 12:04 am
What is it with the media? A group who re-enact WW2 are some how evil? God, if any one wants to prance about in SS gear the are perfectly welcome to so far as I am concerned. I prefer rubber gimp suits myself. My neighbour likes women’s underwear apparently. Just kidding about those last bits, but who is to judge at all.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:27 am
And the majority at kiwiblog just don’t get how deeply fucking offensive those images are to some….sigh..
December 27th, 2009 at 8:24 am
cha, find a lot of images deeply offensive, but men dressing up as nazis isn’t one of them.
It offends me to see people scrabbling through rubbish bins to find something to eat.
It offends me to see people proudly wearing a symbol of torture.
It offends me to see Israeli tanks demolishing Palestinian homes.
It offends me to see American missiles land in the middle of an Afghani wedding.
It offends me to see areoplanes flown in to buildings.
It offends me to see a book published on the “motoons” without any of the motoons included.
But it is my choice as how I react to each of these offending images.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:34 am
The Germans had fantastic uniforms. Designed by Hugo Boss and made with NZ wool.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I wonder if the uniforms were German or Nazi? I remember from research when playing wargames with my son several dacades ago, he got the US/UK armies, so I had to be the Germans. that the German army had some very efficient and superior armour which it took several American tanks to take out one german tank. So to remember the German Army is not a bad thing. Nazi is a completely different thing. But what you do in your own home should be private unless it involves abuse and violence of the defenceless.