An Otago second-hand dealer is defending his range of Nazi memorabilia and says he has sold several swastika badges since the Christchurch attacks.
The New Zealand Jewish Council said while it recognises the legal right of people to profit from Nazi memorabilia, it hopes they appreciate the suffering seeing such items causes vulnerable communities.
Trash Converters owner and manager Barry White sells a wide range of Nazi memorabilia at his Palmerston store.
He said it was mostly imitation, including swastika badges and armbands, plus Waffen SS insignia.
He also offers military memorabilia from a host of other countries, including Allied forces, though toys are his biggest seller.
Among his most popular Nazi items were lapel badges bearing a swastika.
Three of the badges had been sold since the Christchurch terror attacks, he said.
In the same cabinet as the badges was a large red coffin sash, again bearing a swastika.
Also available for purchase was the Skull and Crossbones insignia of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, or the “Death’s Head” division.
It was responsible for several war crimes, including the mass execution of Jews in Poland, and the Le Paradis massacre, where they machine-gunned 97 British troops captured during a retreat.
Speak Your Mind