Last Sunday I went to Duncanon reenactment fair. Among the Vikings, Normans, English 19th century infantry, the most numerous groups were soldiers from the 2nd World War. There was a quite big group of G-Is, but the biggest was a reenactment group of German SS.
People on the photo are not a nazi and shouldn’t be considered as nazi.
We have reenactment fairs so for me there was nothing new to see both Amercian, German, or Soviet (there was a few), but there is one thing which makes me wonder. Why all those Irishmen want to reenact SS - not real soldiers but the troops in charge of genocide, crimes against humanity, killing Poles, Jews, burning the villages etc?
SS it was the Hitler’s elite force, but it wasn’t army elite, and for sure they weren’t a human elite. They were taught to kill all “untermenchen” to wipe them out from the world, no matter they were to kill children, women or old people. They were also in charge of mass executions of Poles, Jews, Russians, and even German civilians in the end of the war (men who avoid joining the Volksturm).
I just wonder, what is so attractive to Irishmen to pretend being a murderer, a man who kills kids, women, men, who can shoot the mother and her child with cold blood.
Do they admire persons like Jurgen Stroop who was the butcher of Warsaw ghetto?
The second thing that struck me the most, was a number of Irish families with kids, wearing SS / Gestapo hats, especially hats of the SS guards of concentration or death camps (like Auschwitz, Birkenau, Gross-Rosen, Buhenwald etc.). Those guards were mostly former murderers. They were killing prisoners with cold blood, they were brutally forcing people to go into the gas chambers. They were also in charge of supervising and looking after gas chambers and crematoriums in all concentration camps.
I can understand that it was re-enactment, it was a family fair, but for the fcuk sake it is frightening to see kids with their parents wearing hats of the most brutally, most inhuman force in the history. Where is the craic, or maybe it is good craic for the Irish men?
There was also the exchange trade market for original or just reconstructions of uniforms etc. They were selling mostly SS hats or uniforms, or swastikas armbands. Is it a picture of family fair? Kids, parents and nazi symbols?
Do they admire Nazi German war criminals or do they just so ignorant? One thing seems to fits the picture perfectly. De Valera was the only president of neutral country who sent the condolence letter to the German Nazi government after suicidal death of Adolf Hitler.
Where did this happen?
This is very worrying, but I think you are failing to understand something. These people do not consider themselves to be Irish.
Irish WWII neutrality is somewhat more complicated than that: http://url.ie/49u
This is very shameful! Let’s hope it is just ignorance. A middle aged (!) Irish guy when we first met - upon hearing my German name - started saluting and marching around, saying “so, you have German origins, German, like SS, yeah?” It took a little time to explain to him why I was terribly upset. Then he felt very ashamed and apologized.
So, I hope it is just ignorance.
Man, You polacks are so hung up on the war.
You need to get a life.
Man… another insult and none of your comments will be let through
and… don’t write such rubbish, maybe you will be delighted seeing a reenactment o proud Black and Tarns, or British regiment from Derry. I think it would be so exited seeing a UVF reenactment in the streets of Dublin.
See, told you so.
You can march up O Connell street in Dublin with a union jack if you want. It does not bother most Irish people anymore. We have grown up. You need to do the same.
Moreover, I see your IP adress is the same as “Irish and proud of it”. Man… you have just changed your nickname, and you were expecting that I would not recognise you?
You are really smart
Congrats! 
Mr Irish Man or “Irish and proud of it”, you are baned of commenting my blog comments.
Reasons:
1. Insulting Poles with words :”Polacks”
2. Changing the nicknames - identities (Irish Man, Irish and proud of it)
3. Changing the point of view and your stories
- once you are blaming all the emigrants becasue they left their country, but on the other hand, in other post you admited that you spent lot’s of time abroad as an emigrant itself.
- while somebody (not only me, but other readers too) points you lack of point in your comments you are starting pointless flamewar with post like “who is without the sin let first throw a stone” etc.
4. Your inferiority complex of former emigrant who can’t stand the situation that Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians are members of European Union with free labour market, and they are almost equal in Ireland as Irish. We are not illegal workers, we pay our taxes to the Irish revenue, so we can speak freely about Ireland.
I assume you spent your time abroad as an illegal worker who didn’t feel equall as we do. I can say I am sorry for that, but you can’t blame us for that.
To other readers: I expressed reasons quite widely. If you want read more of his comments browse to:
http://www.drakkart.com/eire2/2007/01/21/crime-in-ireland-garda-needs-to-be-armed/
http://www.drakkart.com/eire2/2007/05/15/there-is-litter-everywhere/
Sorry to hear that there are a few idiots reading your blog who have no appreciation for European history and the hardships that some have had to endure.
Regarding the uniforms though: I think there was so many dressed as SS purely because of the uniform and not necessarily what it represents. I would consider myself well versed in military history and indeed I do collect some memorabilia. But for me like many others there is no doubt that the SS uniform stands out more so than any other uniform of that conflict or indeed any other conflict.
It is a striking uniform but one that also has some terrible history attached to it. Which is why I would consider the uniform attractive (if that is an acceptable term for it) there is still no way that I would wear one even for a re-enactment.
I think their wearing SS uniforms is more indicative of their reading habits as children rather than indicating any propensity towards Naziism or cultural insensitivity.
Comics I read as a child were filled with images of German and American soldiers and if I were asked today to draw a symbol of the German army I would without hesitation draw either a swastica or the SS lightning bolts and I wouldn’t mean any harm by it.
It’s the same with these people, if they were wearing the outfits to provoke a reaction from you yes you would have reason to be upset but they aren’t, they’re grown-up men getting to act like boys again.
You have to remember you are in Ireland and Irish culture does not have the same understanding or experience of German war crimes as you do.
Cormac, I know that Irish people have different understanding of that. But… almost , or even all European countries has a knowledge what SS was, because this formation committed crimes almost throughout whole continental Europe (France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Greece, Russia and Poland, or… even Germany)
That’s why I think it is a shame example of ignorance and kind of infamous excitation in something that was bad from the core.
There is no excuse in different understanding of war crimes like they did (SS, not Germans in general of course).
Do you excuse tolerance to mass genocide only due to the fact that Nazi Germany was fighting against UK?
“Do you excuse tolerance to mass genocide only due to the fact that Nazi Germany was fighting against UK?”
I’m not sure I understand what you are saying? Are you implying that I support the SS because they were fighting the British?
Not exactly. Being tolerant is not equal to support it.
I mean I understand your comment, that here in Ireland people have different understanding of German crimes, in a way, that people in Ireland can be more tolerant to the Nazi Germany war crimes due to the fact that it was enemy of UK.
At least that was the approach of some Irish politicians during the 2nd World War, like De Valera, and warm welcome of nazi elite after the war (that was on topic in some Irish newspapers recently)
I’m not really sure what this re-enactment was all about - I didn’t see any news reports about it. I find it hard to believe that anyone would walk around in an SS uniform and fail to see how ugly, nasty and offensive it can be. I’m sure some people view it as ironic and attempt to remove the power of the symbol by flaunting it in a pithe fashion.
I don’t think it’s fair to say that Irish people loved Hitler. However we certainly gave refuge to Nazi collaborators. Cathal O’Shannon’s recent programme (i think there was a book too) proved it; but this was never really picked up by the media. This is not just an Irish thing. I remember a survey done in Britain a few years ago that said 50% of schoolkids didn’t know what Auschwitz was.
Maybe the ignorance comes from a recent move away from history; maybe it comes from it being taught so drably in schools. It is too prescriptive and focuses too much on things that people can’t see as relevant to them. There needs to be much more emphasis on modern history at first to third years in Irish schools. It would also be an idea to ask survivors of wars and rebellions to come and talk to students. Even something like Northern Ireland, you can bet most under-18s don’t know a lot about it. There’s plenty in the North that do and within reason they should be given the chance to tell their stories in classrooms.
..I see, so you know nothing about me but based upon the fact that I tried to explain the behaviour of a group of people as being of innocent, rather than malicious intent you have now decided I am ‘tolerant’ of Nazis?
The subject of your blog entry is also disturbing. Just because a bunch of guys wear SS outfits you are suddenly asking do Irishmen love Hitler?
And as for your question “seeing a reenactment o proud Black and Tarns, or British regiment from Derry”, I really doubt any self-respecting Irish person would label Polish men pro-loyalist if they were to see a group of Polish people dressed in black & tan. And no it wouldn’t bother me to see them wearing the uniforms in Poland. As the Irish man” said, we have grown up. As a nation we tend to try to look forward rather than backwards.
First the topic - It is disturbing, to point the problem. It should be clear at least for somebody who has been reader of my blog for some time.
Second - I don’t mean YOU are tolerant to the nazi, but there is a tendency due to the political situation in a past. At least… that kind of tolerance is a part of today ignorance, when Irish parents are buying for their kids a hats of Concentration Camps guards. Don’t you think is it far from OK?
And it is not only Polish point of view that you and the other guy want to show as. Such things are banned and blamed in almost whole continental Europe, where there were such camps and where were lots of victims of SS and Nazi.
Or maybe - as you said - this is Ireland, so here it is ok.
Well, as for looking backwards. Sometimes it is good to look backwards to avoid wrong decisions. Not looking backward at all can be ignorance or shame.
In all fairness, what the black and tans was a kinderspiel compared with what happened to Poland.
How can you possibly say that people should simply move on from Genocide and brutality only 60 years after the fact. Its still in living memory for fucks sake.
More poles were killed in the war than there are people in Ireland.
I personally think there is no excuse in wearing SS uniforms. Especially in large numbers compared to the allies, especially considering that Dungannon is a Unionist town and Unionists are supposedly British and proud. They’re also quite right wing.
My father once had a friend who was in the Defense force in the south, he too liked to dress up in SS officers uniform. He didn’t remain a friend for long.
Its not cool to dress like a Nazi. It doesn’t matter what your opinion of the uniform is. It represents one of the darkest times in Modern history and should not be treated so lightly.
Ignorance is not an excuse.
Interesting site, Mr. Mackozer. You know who I am of course but I was just writing in to say to Niall, your last correspondent on this one, that the re-enactment took place in Duncannon in Wexford, not Dungannon in the North, which is a very different matter. It raises the question of how Irish people would react to a historical re-enactment featuring Cromwell’s wicked men, Duncannon being his headquarters in Ireland at one time.
When should memories be spent?
Some of this re-enactment has just been shown on Nationwide on RTÉ1. (I’m sure it will be available to download later this week from www.rte.ie).
There were Medieval and 1st and 2nd World War re-enactments. I was about to say you were over reacting, Mac, until I noticed the preponderance of Nazi ‘performers’, regalia and equipment. What disturbed me most was one ‘pretend Nazi’ told the interviewer that WWII German equipment and paraphernalia make the most money on the market.
i know this unit. the people in it are highly respectable. their job is to reenact history, not to glorify the nazi period.there are Polish SS reenactment units aswell.
their appearnce at the Holocaust musical in Dublin was inappropriate.
contrary to the images Hollywood brainwashes us with not all SS were crimminals.
not Poles were victims either. you can complain about the atrocities the Nazis commited in Poland, but in 1945 ethnic German civilains paid the price.
was is justifiable for Poles to murder innocent German civilans?
I’ve just seen a website for Polish skinheads and according to it a significant amount of Poles don’t like the Jews.
you don’t like gays so much either in Poland.
is this just ignorance or the the kettle calling the pot black?
yet more information. google any WW2 German reenactemnt group and you’ll always find teh following:
Public Disclaimer: Battle Group South is a military vehicle and re-enactment group who specalise in the collection and restoration of class wartime German vehicles. It does not support or hold any political beliefs in any banned political parties or subscribe to any neo-Nazi movement whatsoever. It is a living history group.
what became of my comments?
i was under the impression you were lokking for answers.
Mr suspicious Manus
1. You are the great example of ignorant
You are just relay on the rumours even not a real information. You blame us that we Poles don’t like the jews. Ok it is mostly true, but, do you know the answer for such questions (I guess you don’t, so let me answer)
- which country opened the border for German Jews when they were kicked out of Nazi Germany? It wasn’t USA… Most of the German Jews went to Poland.
- Moreover.. which country in Europe had the biggest Jewish population before war? Answer is Poland.
- Which nationality is the most represented among the awarded for “Just among the nations of the world” (Yad Vashem award for people who saved Jews during 2nd WW)?
Poles again.
- The number of pogroms and reluctance to Jews in Poland never was bigger or higher than in the Western Europe, but this case is usually risen by the people who want to exonerate from blame Nazi.
- Another information for you: Which European nation didn’t had a national SS Legion? I will let you guess
- How we can like or dislike the Jews. There is no Jews in Poland anymore. Most of them were killed during Holocaust, and rest of them were thrown out of Poland and went to Izrael or USA (which is of course shame).
2. Germans where mostly killed by Red Army. Of course there were murders of German civilians after the war, but there is nothing to compare. Most of the Germans were actually kicked out of their houses and lands and sent to West Germany.
Anyhow… the acts of hate and murders were relatively rare compared to policy of mass genocide of Slavonic nations conducted by Nazi Germany and participation of the civilians (like farmers were using slave work force).
3. Claiming that not all of the SS were bad, is again trying to clear that formation. Most of the SS divisions in the East were used in extermination of the civilians (Jews, Poles, Russians, Serbs etc.)
4. Mr suspicious. Try to understand that my blog is moderated, and I am not in the front of my computer all the time. That’s why your comments didn’t appear instantly. There is no conspiracy, sorry (I know you were expecting that).
5. And at last… You write about DISCLAIMER on the reenactment website. Man… you have disclaimers on PORN sites as well. It is just a kind of back door. It is obvious that nobody want to be punished. This is a way to avoid responsibility.
6. There is about 38 millions of Poles in Poland. You are relying on skin head website. That is great example of your professional way of collecting information about the countries. Well done!
You couldn’t introduce yourself in a better way 
7. and at last… we have reenactment SS groups in Poland and they are not convincing me at all, and I suspect that some of them can treat reanactment as a good excuse to fancy the Nazi. But… at least Polish and other nations of continental Europe, that were affected by the 2nd World War, are not willing to buy SS concentration camp guards uniforms or hats during the reenactment fairs. That is clear
Yet again. You are the person who can not contrapose sensible arguments against main questions (in the title of the entry I have just asked the question), so you were trying to find any opportunities to blame Poles. You can blame as for many things (we are a nation like the other ones, not better, not worse), but it doesn’t change the problem I issued in the title and in the whole entry.
Regards
from what I can make out from your creative English syntax and grammar you have a chip on your shoulder and you reinforce this your arrogance with condescending smilies.
you have also adpoted a holier than thou attitude which will irritate most people.
you get rid of someone who calls you a ‘polack’ yet you yourself are not afraid to abuse other people.
I notice my comments about the gays went unanswered. maybe they are regarded are untermenschen in Poland.
as I said in my previous post these reenactors are pillars of society and not neo-nazis.
you have an interesting way of presenting the ethnic cleansing that took place among the ethnic Germans in 1945/46. some would even argue that you are an apologist for mass murder.
FYI they are not wearing concentration camp uniforms. you shopuld read up a little on yoiur uniforms before commenting.
very few SS men actually participated in war crimes. less tahn 2% according to the Simon Wiensthal centre(but they are Jews so what would they know)
if you want a short answer to your question no we don’t love Hitler and no we’re not ignorant. you belive the a latter because you seem to feel superior to the ‘ignorant’ Irish in whose country you live.
Heh
Here I got you yet again:)
First… Gays are not treated worse than other people in Poland, despite the attempts of Polish far right gov. We have every year a Gay and Lesbian Parade.
And yet again see the difference in my and your aggressive attitude. I have just asked a question to provoke the discussion. I didn’t write “Irish people are fekin Nazis”, but you write exactly something like that about Poles. You did it only because you were angry, and you did it without any sensible reasons or arguments (you have just heard about something somewhere). Question is always to start the discussion on topic.
Second. If you calmed down, you would noticed and read in my blog, that I have mentioned about selling the concentration camps guards hats during the fair, and about kids who were wearing them. Reenactment group members were wearing regular SS field uniforms. Again, you gave an example of not reading carefully my blog entry. Isn’t it a good example of ignorance? Answer!
You should read my blog carefully:) before accusing me of wrong attitude to Irish.
I have quite a lot Irish readers who are in the different opinion. I am not going to stop writing about both good and bad things in Ireland, even if you are not comfortable with that.
and at last
I dare say you are not willing to accept the critical opinions from non - nationals, and any critic you regard as a attack on whole Irish society. Calm down
and read about the topic before you start to state such stupid accusations as you stated about the Jews.
For sure, you can write many bad words about Poland and Poles, you can find full of criticism entries on Poles and Poland even on my blog, but you are too lazy to read it I guess. So.. if I regarded myself as a superior, would I write and describe bad things and issues on Poland and Poles? Where is the point in your accusation?
There is another issue. You are expressing the attitude that your opinion is the opinion of entire Irish society. Man… you can see many comments to my entries done by Irish people expressing completely different opinions or attitudes to yours. Your ignorance doesn’t mean that whole Irish society is ignorant.
Regards
Mackozer said: “6. There is about 38 millions of Poles in Poland. You are relying on skin head website. That is great example of your professional way of collecting information about the countries. Well done!
You couldn’t introduce yourself in a better way :)”
“Do Irishmen love Hitler, or is it just an ignorance”
There are 4 million people in Ireland, yet the title of our blog entry suggests you have formed your opinion of Irishmen based upon the actions of a WW2 German reenactemnt group.
Slightly hyporcitical don’t you think?
No… title of my entry is a question, not a thesis / statement of the evidence.
As I wrote before, it was a hot question to point the problem, not an angy reply.
Don’t you see the difference? or maybe you just don’t want to see it.
Moreover Mr Cormac… you are writing that you - Irish - grew up, and you don’t care about Black and Tans etc.
You seem to forget about last year LOVE ULSTER , Unionist march in Dublin.
Despite the fact that I completely understand the anger of Dubliners, but you can’t deny the riot in the Dublin City Centre. The same thing is going to happen this summer.
It seems you also have fresh wounds or maybe a number of Irish haven’t grown up yet.
No… title of my entry is a question, not a thesis / statement of the evidence.
Not without a question mark “?” it’s not.
And if it was a question the fact that you are even willing to consider that all Irish men may ‘love Hitler’ based upon the actions of a re-enactment group suggests a naivete on your part.
“You seem to forget about last year LOVE ULSTER , Unionist march in Dublin.
Despite the fact that I completely understand the anger of Dubliners, but you can’t deny the riot in the Dublin City Centre. The same thing is going to happen this summer.”
You’re scraping the bottom of the barrel now, implying the orchestrated actions of thugs acting on behalf of the political wing of a terrorist group in some way reflects the attitudes of the average Irish person.
However based upon that premise is it fair to say that your government’s attitude to homosexuality is a reflection of the attitude of Polish people in general?
Anyway it would be fun to discuss this ad-infinitum as the discussion does seem to have come full circle, however I’ve got plenty of Hitler loving to do and I’m sure there are lots of gays to be bashed in Carlow so I won’t waste any more of either of our time and will end this discussion here.
Let me see… does the question in English need to have inverted order?
Is it really the same:
“Do Irishmen love Hitler, or is it just an ignorance”
and
“Irishmen love Hiteler, and it is just an ignorance”
Don’t you really see the difference?
Great photo … pretty shocking.
Battle Group South: http://www.battlegroupsouth.com (note the subtitle: 2nd Kompanie, 1st SS Div. L.A.H.). That L.A.H. would be the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (Adolf Hitler’s personal Bodyguard Regiment). Infamous for murdering SA cadres on the Night of the Long Knives; the invasion of Poland; massacring Soviet POWs during Operation Barbarossa; and murdering British POWs at the Wormhoudt Massacre. Nice choice of unit, despite the disclaimer . Bunch of wannabe Nazi-boy-racer fucks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uDtDqNk4JY
Joe Duffy and the Who By Fire Holocaust “musical” play debate (pretty inane discussion as usual: http://pc.rte.ie/2007/pc/pod-v-260607-67m55s-liveline.mp3).
I think there is a BIG missunderstanding, the guyss in this photo wear these uniforms to POTRAY HISTORY! NOT THATS NOT anythig to do with death camps or murder, these guys are normal people I also reenact, I am NOT political I am NOT an nazi wannabie, I come from Polish backround and some were Jewish! Battle group south are simply people that enjoy living history and most are collectors with good jobs and nearly every man you see in german reenactment is a part of other groups with different periods in history! If ANY small amount of neo nazism was seen inside the walls of reenatcment it would be dealt with! NO nazi extremist are in this group! I think you guys have jumped on a band wagon! and call these people neo nazis!
I think you guys need to talk to the guys at battle group south, as your calling them alot of nasty rubbish!
So do it and understand what your talking about….
LIVING HISTORY=NON POLICTIAL!GOOD POLICYS, THESE GUYS WERE ASKED BY THE JEWISH COMMUNITY TO HELP WOITH A BOOK ON THE HOLOCAUST!
Thanks and i hope you guys can understand the truth!
If anyone would like to email me on this then do so …
jonnyb-1@hotmail.com
Thanks Jonathan
NEO-NAZI SCUM=PURE SCUM THAT DONT UNDERSTAND HISTORY!
Hi Jonathan. First of all - read my blog entry with attention. Then you are realise, that I mentioned concentration camp guards’ hats (SS of course) that were on sale on the market during reenactment fair. I have also written that seeing families with kids wearing those hats, was striking.
I my blog entry I was only wondering why all those guys reenacting German troops were actually all reeacting SS field formation in charge of genocide (not a knights as some of the Nazi fans try to show them).
I have nothing against reenacting German troops, but seeing Wehrmaht (anyway also involved in genocide during 2nd WW but not as much as SS) or at least reenacting mixed formation wouldn’t be so bad.
In fact - on the reenactment day all of the reenacters were wearing SS field formation uniforms (all SS infantry field formations were infolved in mass murders and genocide).
Excuse me if I was so blind that I couldn’t see any of the Wehrmaht uniforms, but only SS. One exception was a German paratrooper (also SS, but formation created for some other reasons that only genocide).
Those facts I was dealing with in my blog entry.
Hi mackozer, I canm assure you that No one in Battlegroup south was wearing that day any insignia that would even suggest Death Camps etc… This whole thing is blew out of proporition, of course you did not see Whermact reenactment group there because you were watching a WAFFEN SS FRONTLINE UNIT! NOT DEATH CAMP OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT!ITS NOT TOLERATED IN THIS GROUP. And frankly what the Irish children were wearing that day is nothing to do with battlegroupsouth, unless its a HJ or other reenactment assigned to BGS, YTou should read up on insignia etc.. they sell good books on Amazon!
Jonathan
Jonathan, I susspect you don’t understand English at all. Let me remind you again - I have mentioned market place placed in one of the fort building, where the pieces of uniforms were on sale and kids wearing Death Camp SS squads hats - NOT a reenactment group. Calm down and read the blog entry again.
P.S. Frontline SS troops were in charge of genocide in Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Balkans, and in the Western Europe. Though I know it is quite exciting story of that formation but there is nothing to admire or maybe only killing civilians in cold blood - a knights of the German army, as some Nazi fans call them.
Regards
You can be an actor ,that does not mean that you have those beliefs,however their are people that where a uniform that look up to that group ,maybe just a self esteem issue ,the germans are a good looking people & they did have a nice uniform that is a fact ,does that mean that you are a nazi if you where that uniform ,absolutley not.yes you can be ,but you have to judge the individual.People admire hollywood & try to look just like them ,its human nature,everyone wants to look good & the lower a persons self esteem the more they would join a group ,or perform .
Ronnie. Right. But hats of the concentration camp guards that were on heads of the Irish kids are not nice at all. I don’t suspect that the parents are Nazi, but it means they are so much ignorants, that can’t imagine what they are buying for their kids. Only because there is a skull sign. Moreover admire SS is a kind of strange fixation, and there is no excuses in a way like they were brave soldiers. Yes.. where is a bravery shooting unarmed civilians in a mass executions. There is no excuse even if a small percentage of SS soldiers were not involved in mass murder and crimes.
It is just admiring murdering brutality etc. in fact such things can be attractive due to the expression of power and force.
Comparing admiring SS to Hollywood it is the most stupid. Do the Hollywood actors are involved in mass murders?
Very sad to see that in Wexford..honestly these people have no cop-on!!
who cares?…ireland is a borderline communist country. you people dont give a shit about yourselves and by reading some of the responses i am right on.so many whimps who care about offending rather than DEFENDING. your country is now overrun with foreiners. at what point will you have the courage to stand up and say no more? oh gee whiz the nazi ss actors doing it as a hobby is bad but the nigerian rapist running around the streets of dublin is a nice person!!your a sick decadent country…
oh your idol Hitler loved the word “decadent”
Unfortunately, you are completely not familiar with Irish issues. Read the Irish newspapers, there is a lot about the crime in Ireland, and sorry mr Hitler lover, most of them (not all of course) are comitted by Irishmen. IF there is something about foreigners, there is nothing about Nigerians.
I can understand the point of being annoyed with so big emigrant population, but unfortunately you missed the point. According to the last census the biggest minority in Ireland is…. English and Walsh , at least White Anglo - Saxon Protestants… so maybe mr Hitler Lover you should stand up and show again what Irish people should do?
Get over it, there are Twats everywhere..
Poland has a huge problem with Racism at the moment, but all Irish people do not dismiss all Poles.
Also the swastika should be claimed back for what it really stands for Peace and Love.
Stephen, and you know it because you have read it in the newspapper.
Give me an examples of that huge racism that you experienced by yourself, and read one of my latest entries in my blog.
What I am describing on my blog I experienced by myself not read only in the newspaper.
Wow! Ireland has grown up about the Union Jack so Poland, and I guess the families of millions of Jews, Catholics, and dissidents, should as well. I hope that was tongue in cheek, otherwise I am embarassed by my forefathers (proud Irish American).
Anyway, the SS adoration seen in this parade does seem to show a frightening lack of historical perspective, e.g. Price Harry’s Hitler blunder, or it might just be a thing for the parade. I knew an Indian guy who had a swastica on his computer desktop, which we thought was a joke. It turns out if you ask him, that he really respects Hitler and the Nazi’s and thinks that the Jews probably deserved what they got, so you never know. Time will tell. Or is it possibly some sort of disguised slap at Israel, or the dreaded “neocons” that secretely control world events
?
Sean, you can’t compare Union Jack to Nazi flag. It is just ridiculous and you betray completely lack of historical knowledge. It seems you know very little about history to compare in that way Union Jack to Nazi flag.
and to your knowledge - it is not about simple swastika - it is about Nazi flag. For your information mr smart - Swastika - a blue one on white background - is the official historical Finnish Air Force symbol painted on planes, and it comes from Buddhist symbol of luck.
Moreover you still misunderstanding the topic of my entry. I have asked the question… do the Irish love Hitler or is it just ignorance. You have just answered the question, it it rather ignorance, and you are quite good example of that.
Regards.
I’d just like to say that this is an interesting blog. I wonder how many of those parents buying those hats for their kids actually know the history link to the hats. As a hat, it is pretty neat, my compliments to the designers. But as a historical piece it is quite haunting, I’m sure if those parents were fully informed there would have been less kids wearing the hats. I was recently at a reenactment here in the states. I went for research reasons. Most of the parents at the fair really had no idea the historical significances of almost anything in the reenactment. The deeper I dig into WW2 the more i am surprised that people really don’t really understand the entire scope of what happened. Most of what people know can be summed up on a page or two.
I’d just like to say that this is an interesting blog. I wonder how many of those parents buying those hats for their kids actually know the history link to the hats. As a hat, it is pretty neat, my compliments to the designers. But as a historical piece it is quite haunting, I’m sure if those parents were fully informed there would have been less kids wearing the hats. It is kind of disturbing to hear that there were stands pushing a lot of Nazi related items at a family fair. I was recently at a reenactment here in the states. I went for research reasons. Most of the parents at the fair really had no idea the historical significances of almost anything in the reenactment. At the fair though, no memorabilia was available for purchase. That is unless you talked to the re-enactors directly
The deeper I dig into WW2 the more i am surprised that people really don’t really understand the entire scope of what happened. Most of what people know can be summed up on a page or two.
Hello, I have enjoyed reading this thread and thought I would throw in my view on the situation. I am an Irishman living abroad, however I am a proud Irishman as I am sure you are a proud Polish citizen, thing is what I see here is load of verbal “handbag fighting”…The simple answer to your question is No the Irish as a whole dont love Hitler, there are certainly a few somewhere, just as there murderers, pedofiles and other undesirables.
I read somewhere that although Ireland was nuetral during WW2 that over 50,000 served against the axis powers…that alone should show where Irishmen and women stood. The Germans also bombed Ringsend in Dublin!
I had a look at the website for these lads in SS uniform and yes the site does look very Nazi-ish but it is a Re-enactment group and sure somebody has to play the bad-guys…
As for the parents buying the hats…my question to you is as this question means a lot to you ,why didnt you confront these people face to face and ask them if they new what they were buying for there kids and if they were Nazis? You could have informed them of there wrong doing and done us all a favour!
all the best lad.
Paddy, thanks for your comment. Well so the answer is the ignorance.
Of course I knew about Irishmen fighting against Axis, however Nazi Germany were considered by Irish government and by some Irish as a potential ally. The issue of Nazis who fled to Ireland after WW2 and became involved in Irish politics is also widely discussed now.
My blog entry has provoked many replies, showing the level of ignorance among some of the commentators, especially the lack of simple knowledge about German war crimes during WW2 and thus basic knowledge of the history - crimes not only limited to Poland, Russia, but to almost whole Europe. Comments that we - Poles - are still to much sensitive about the war, when almost everything in Poland was destroyed is also completely stupid, since in Ireland you can not buy national English ruby team jersey, and Union Jack is not visible anywhere - probably only at British Embassy, and really it is not comparable - English or British occupation of Ireland to 6 years of WW2.
Yet again, I am of the opinion that such re-enactment of SS division (like SS LAH) has in the background some of the strange fascination in it, and we can not exclude possible Nazi admirers.
I haven’t seen in Ireland Cromwellian army re-enactment, RIC or RUC re-enactment and British troops from Derry re-enactment. I don’t know any Irish who fancy wearing uniforms of that formations. Moreover… I mentioned the problem to buy English team jerseys.
As for the last question. Try to imagine Polish person who is telling Irish people in Ireland what they should do. Man… I am not a Jesus… I am just a blogger who describes what he sees. Blog is not aggressive way of telling things. Every Irish person who feel offended (but in my opinion there is no point to be offended since I am describing what I see) can easily avoid my website.
Anyway, you are right, Irish do not admire Hitler, however the ignorance and limited knowledge to the own business only is a visible problem, nevertheless it is probably a common problem in every nation, and the internet gives freedom of speech to everybody.
let me first say that I have studied and read alot on WW2 so im not just shooting off my mouth.
what most ppl fail to understand is the SS was made up of different branches but because of the SS Einsatzgruppen division (extermination units) and the tragedies at the conc. camps with the SS Totenkopfverbände division, ppl automatically and wrongfully assume that its one of those units when they see the SS runes.
So dont assume just because you see an SS symbol that its has to be associated with one of those horror units.
The SS units were elite units and most vets will confirm the tenacity of the SS soldier.
You want to talk tragedy? what about the SS men along with the men of the regular Wehrmacht who surrended to certain allied units only to be mass executed in front of a firing squad. Yes, it would have been justice served if it had happened to the SS death units but these men being shot had nothing to do with the camps.
Even though they were the enemy, they were still human beings the same as you and me who were fathers, sons, brothers, and husbands.
A soldier who dies on the battlefield has paid the ultimate price for his country and wether he be friend or foe, he deserves respect.
Iceman… it seems you are not interested in that facts but only in your NAZI imagination.
So.. let me remind you some of the achivements of your “Elite Knights”:
10.09.1939 - 1 and 2 sq. of the cavallery SS-Totenkopf (SS-Totenkopf-Reiterstandarte, from 1942 part of a SS division Floryan Geyer): execution of Polish Jews in Kutno
Spring 1940: Mass executions of Poles and Jews in Palmiry forest near Warsaw. 1 and 2 sq. of the cavalry SS-Totenkopf (SS-Totenkopf-Reiterstandarte, from 1942 part of a SS division Floryan Geyer)
1940. near Dunkerque murder of about 65 British POWs. SS LSAH
10.05.1940, Le Paradis, France: execution of 97 British POWs, 3d SSPancerdivision Totenkopf. (injured British POW’s were forced to walk towards the building where they were executed and then burned on the piles).
1941: Murder of about 4000 Soviet POW’s. SS LSAH
June 1941: Killing 600 Jews in Galicja. 5th SS Panzerdivison Viking.
1943. Taking part in extermination and pacification of jews of Warsaw Ghetto during the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. 821 SS Panzergrenadiers
March 1943. Murder of about 20 000 of citizens of Charkov in Soviet Union. SS Totenkopf and SS LSAH
12.07.1943: Serbia, villages Kostunica (killing of 70 ppl), Orasje (killing 60 ppl including women and children). 7th SS volunteer alpine division “Prinz Eugen”.
1944. Burning alive 35 of Polish POWs. 15th SS Grenadier Division (Latvian)
7-21.06.1944: Killing 103 Ally POW’s (executions took place in Saint-Sulpice-sur-Risle, Chateau d`Audrieu, Le Mesnil-Patry, Le Mains, Mouen, Argentan). 12th SS Panzerdivision “Hitler Jugend”.
1944. Huta Pieniacka, Poland. Killing civilians (over 868 dead). 14th SS Grenadier Division (Ukrainian)
August - September 1944, Warsaw Uprising. Killing about 40 000 of the civilians of Wola (part of Warsaw). 36 SS Grenadier Division “Dirlewanger”.
August - September 1944, Warsaw Uprising. Killing about 10 000 of the civilians of Ochota (part of Warsaw). 29th SS Grenadier DIvision (Russian)
August - September 1944, Warsaw uprising. Killing civilans. 5th Panzerdivision “Viking”
1944. Killing civilians of Kosovo. 21st SS alpine division “Skanderbeg” (Albanian)
1944. Slovak Uprising. Murdering civilians in Slovakia. 18th Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division “Horst Wessel”.
December 1944: Massacre in Malmédy. about 71 - 84 of American POW’s were murdered by 1st SS panzerdivision LSAH. After Amercians were unarmed they were shot in the back.
10.06.1944. Massacre of 642 of citizens of Oradour-sur-Glane in France. 2nd SS Panzerdivision “Das Reich”.
Icemen. You are or completely ignorant or a NAZI who is trying to blur the bloody history of Waffen SS.
Where is your respect to the victims of that murders?
There is no doubt that the whole SS formation was involved in genocide. It doesn’t mean that every soldier of Waffen SS was a murdererm, which of course is not true. (I.E. a great German writer - Gunter Grass was a member of a Waffen SS at the end of the war).
1. Insulting Poles with words :”Polacks”
My polish friends say polack means Polish man, If that is right how can that be a insult?????
You also say that Polish pay taxs here in Ireland, that is true, But they can claim back up to 90% of that tax after they return to Poland from the Irish tax system. So can any EU worker from out side Ireland. So not all Polish tax collected in Ireland stays here.
The Maker…if you would use google or something else you would very easly learn that Polak is in Polish in Polish language and Polack is a commonly known insult.
As for the tax. So far no body wants to come back and people rather prefer stay in Ireland.
Next time use google before asking stupid questions.
Reasons/Origins. Polock/Polak, Polish, Polish for “Polish man.” Correctly spelled “Polak.” …
So I was right.Many thanks for your answer.It would be the same as Paddy for us Irish. But I would not consider it a slur. But hey, we all have different ways of using words.
As for the tax question I beg to differ as I have asked my Polish workmates and they tell me that they hope to go back as soon as they can get enough savings for a house/flat and a good job back home. They tell me wages are improving and hopefully they will have their own Polish tiger in the not to distance future. I think this election in Poland will be very big for the Polish People home and in other countries.
I was a bit hurt with you calling me stupid and this was my first time here.But I suppose you have your reasons. If I offended you I am sorry. If you dont want me back I will Pass on.
Kevin.
Sorry for “stupid” however I haven’t called you stupid, I was just fed up a little with such questions, because the answer is very easy to find
I had no intention to offend you
I hope that all is clear now 
as for the Poles in Ireland. Most of us want to come back to Poland as soon as possible, but… it won’t happen soon, since the situation in Poland won’t change quickly.
Let me give an example: My wife’s sister has been living in London for 7 years. She regards her own stay as only temporary, but 7 years is not temporary at all. The same situation is in Ireland.
Many thanks for you reply. Will you be voting here for the future of Poland? We had the same situation here some 15 odd years ago. Happily we made the right decisions then, but I dont know now as the Irish economy is starting to cool. I would urge you and you country men and women to not make the mistakes we have in the last few years when the Irish government took the eye off the ball.Employment is still good but the infrastructure is still bad. I often wonder where all the money has gone?
I found you article very disturbing, not that i found any of it actually relevant, the real problem is the fact you are categorizing a nation (group) of people…. which is very sad, don’t come to a country… bitch about how we’re all wannabe neo natzi’s ????? please, Ireland and its people have moved on from all ‘hate brits etc’ crap, nobody cares about any of that, it doesn’t hold any substance in our live’s nowdays… maybe you should leave the boggers and head to a city with a population of more that 100 and then you’ll meet the real irish people.
<p>Leesa, first of all, could you decide what am I categorizing? It is big difference between group of people and whole nation. If you trying to suggest that I am categorizing this way whole Irish nation, you are doing something worse… you are judging me after reading only one entry of my blog. You have right to dislike my opinion, but in my entry I devoted much attention to the ignorance of the families (with kids wearing concentration camps SS guard hats). I hope that you understand that claiming that somebody is ignorant doesn’t mean that somebody is neo nazi… however I am really not sure about the members of Battle Group South, since Leib Standarte Adolf Hitler was - as every SS formation - was full of Nazis and LSAH was involved in warcrimes throughout Europe. In such point I am not categorizing them as neo nazis, I just wonder if they are neonazis or not..</p>
<p>For your information Carlow has population about 30 thousands… and… as for the Brits.. it is very hard to buy National English Rugby Team jersey in sport shops in Dublin. This is not only my experience but also experience of my English friends who are living in Ireland.</p>
<p>I hope that you did understand the difference between categorization whole nation and just deliberating about ignorance and the experience of re-enactment day in Dunganon. </p>
<p>The title of that entry was to provoke the discussion and many Irish bloggers I know took it that way…</p>
<p>Is mise</p>
Who cares? Poland is a tip. Ireland is a rain sodden kip full of Poles and stupid Paddies who think their little isle is the centre of the world. Give me a break! Everytime you pick up a newspaper in the place it is “Celtic Tiger” this or ” Celtic pups” that - congratulating themselves for something that has been taken for granted in the more civilised world for years. The bus service is beyond a joke. The train service is worse than India. Yet these idiots will tell you it is a moden society!!! The health service come on!! All they are interested in is building really crappy overpriced houses that any sane American would turn those noses up at. Yes, the Irish are great at building identikit ugly houses row after row with no public amenities to support them. They seem to think having decking on their postage stamp yards is something to celebrate. The Poles are even more stupid to think this place is some kind of Nirvana!! The houses are overpriced and crap. Dublin is a dump full of Knackers and prowling Romanian / Eastern scummers. There is nothing worse than comparing the country to what it was even 5 years ago. My God, what is the story with all these Easter Europeans? Are their women that good looking? I dont think so. Do they actuall live in Tesco as this seems to be the case. The country is led by a little slime ball from the Northside nown as Teflon Bertie - a little spiv with the cultural intelligence of a peanut perched on a Dublin City bar. Temple Bar??? Give me France or Spain anyday. Irish women are not too bad I guess, at least the ones who dont wear tracksuits and runners anyway. God bless America!! Message to any illegals ( whether irish in USA or Africans in ireland ) - go home you cheats / lowlifes!
If you think the above is bad, wait until the EU lets those Turks in - say your prayers then peeps.
Looking liker LSU versus Kansas in the BCS Title game - any Pole have an opinion on this - didnt think so.
“LSU versus Kansas in the BCS Title game”..does anybody outside the states have an opinion on this? I don’t think so.
Where are you living Colm? You don’t seem to have anything positive to say about any nationality or nation for that matter, you must be an extremely unhappy man, shelled up in your little domain. Poland is Central Europe for a start..not “Eastern” and I really don’t think that any of them view Ireland as a “Nirvana” but rather an economical opportunity. And what relevance is there to the question “Are their women that good looking?” Are you that good looking? Who cares? As for America, the country is built upon the ethnic cleansing of an indigenous people and above all Immigration, the latter of which you seem to detest so much. God Bless America indeed..murder capital of the Western world and a Darwinian nightmare..survival of the richest.
Makozer, I really wouldn’t scratch the surface too deeply about why people dress up in SS uniform at reenactments. We grew up in this country watching WW2 movies and the SS where always portrayed (rightfully so) as the ultimate villains. People have always enjoyed dressing up as villains and while I do accept this is an issue of cultural sensitivity for you, to many of us Irish it is taken no more seriously than someone in a Darth Vader costume. We have spent a lot of time on this island alone and with no minorities for us to offend we have been free of the yoke of political correctness. The power of the SS was deeply entrenched in imagery and propaganda, to this day people all over the world are still fascinated by this on a purely aesthetic level. I think you have every right to perceive this as bad taste but perhaps if you had conducted a conversation with some of these people you would find how their is no more sinister agenda other than people dressing up. By the way, I remember an Easter market in Krakow’s Rynek where there was a whole stall dedicated to war memorabilia, most of it modern replica’s, take a guess what the vast majority of it was?! I was initially shocked to see families buying faux antique chain pocket watches with a picture of Adolf Hitler on the front but I surmised that perhaps time has moved on, even so close to Oswiecim.
While we are on the subject of the right, check the link beow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrO5yp6wXAM
By the way I hope you don’t think by my posting that link that I’m trying to start a pissing contest with you about who’s country is suffering the most social ills. I just feel your time would be better spent focusing on real issue’s in this country and not imagined or misconstrued one’s. The right wing issue is a real problem in your country, what we have here is far too small to be even described as fledgling.
Well all I can say is we definately liked the fukcer(fuhrer) in the 1930’s.Those were the times when those ideas were fought out. Most people in Ireland listened to the church then and supported Franco among others. Makoser, you are right to question the place you are at but the republic is not the same as it was(free state i know)then. Nationalism is a curse, Rudolf Rocker knew that. Better to ask what we believe in now. If I had known that such a thing was at Duncannon I would have protested. It is not acceptable. I have a few Polish friends. So i worry about the impressiopn this sort of thing gives.But we have to accept when we are wrong. Ignorance is no excuse lads. Fascism is Death. I would rather live.
I find it truly shocking that anybody would want to go about dressed up as a Nazi, but when its Irish people, that doesn’t shock me at all, the Irish were victims of genocide in the past , the English passed all kinds of wonderful laws against the Irish, raped murdered pillaged and finally starved 2 million to death in the 1840’s, today we all speak English follow English football teams, shop in English shops, watch English tv , lets face it the Irish are truly fucked up,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Top of the morning to you all!! im an Irish man and very proud of it..infact i would say i am the most proud Irish person there is..i live in England and am an ex police officer..i write about Irish History and Irish Regiments and i also do world war 2 reenacting as a military historian..what do i portray? an Irish Regiment..and why do i portray it..because im proud of my country and im proud of what my country has contributed..and thats what i teach people when i reenact.I talk to children, ex vetereans, ex members of irish regiments etc..i dont like the ss thing..and i dont think it should be displayed..even if they were only resposible for one percent of crimes they were ruthless…the whole regime was and having children myself i would hate to have gone through any of those experiences of being seperated from my loved ones..i wouldnt dream of reenacting say for example something like the Black and Tans..History or no History because of my respect for other peoples feelings..and i wouldnt have a single good thing to say about them anyway!!and who was it that shot the 80 Royal Norfolk soldiers against a farm wall during the retreat to Dunkirk after they had surrendered.and when a german officer refused to carry out the order they killed him, stabbed him in the guts and left him there to die ..oopps i think that was the ss!!as for ireland..please never lose your identiity as irish people..where you can speak freely and sing..not like here in england where british people are treated like second class citizens and cant voice or say anything..this is what i say IRELAND FOR EVER !! my website is www.2ndbattalionroyalulsterrifles.com
Look, we aren’t against your point of view. We all understand that Poland, Polish people, and Polish Jews suffered greatly during WWII.
But when you say “Do Irishmen love Hitler?” it really makes me angry, because it portrays us unfairly.
There is a historical background that is reasonably relevant.
100000 Irishmen went to war for no reason in WWI and were quite badly treated, and they were sent there because of the lies of the London government. During that time there was a revolution at home, and reprisals from the UK. After WWI we had a proper war for 3 years with UK. Then, we had a civil war between Irishmen. Then, we had an economic war with Britain which brings us up to WWII.
Our country was devastated. We had lost a quarter of our country to the UK in 1921, and our entire population dwindled to an all time low of 2.5 million - about the size of one British city. We sent a government delegation to the Paris Peace conference, but we not allowed in, because nobody recognised us as independent - except Russia, actually. We were officially a dominion. Anyway, back in 1916 all the leaders were executed at the rising, with the exception of the future president De Valera, exempted only by his American passport, who by the time of WW2 had to deal with Churchill again (who partitioned us years before), only this time, he was attempting an invasion by sending his army and tanks against us from our northern border. They were not best of friends to say the least. At the same time, we caught numerous German spies attempting to organise an invasion, and passed their plans on to the Americans rather than deal with London again.
Finally, we got our independent republic in 1937 - just two years before the war. However unpleasant the thought was for Irish people in 1939 of allying with the ‘old enemy’ at the time in order to fight the Nazi’s, 50000 Irish people DID joing the British army alone. That’s about 40% of all men aged 18-40, which is a lot. Other joined the Americans. The country declared neutrality.
With the help of the Americans (who depended on the irish vote) we convinced the UK to back off and began helping the allies covertly for the duration of the war, because if Ireland joined the allies, it would have created a weak point for German invasion, due to the poverty and low population, which meant that UK would have to either protect us, or invade us again. The problem was solved by the Americans who idea was to present a friendly face to Germany while working with the allies. The British were allowed access to intelligence, British POWs were sent home, safe flight paths were created for allied bombers, and the use of counter-intelligence in the media that made it seem like we were fully neutral, in case of German reprisals. The American ambassador at the time was too much of a talker, so the US administration did not inform him until well after the war. Remember also that Irish people in the north were being killed during German bombing raids all the time, as well as British cities like Liverpool which have a majority Irish population.
I’m not going to go into more detail, but you can find information about it on the internet.
As for the re-enactors, the fact that we didn’t get bombed by Germany - (well, we did just once), and the fact that tons of people were not killed here, means that sadly…., there is a small minority of silly people who think that the war was just like some TV program, and they think Hitler was some sort of comic character with a silly moustache.
My opinion is that, if Ireland had not been partitioned, or if the country had been reunited north and south, they would certainly have joined the war effort.
em. I know all of that (I dare say I know the Irish history quite well). My post is to provoke the discussion about some tendencies of blurring the history by ignorance.
The history of Ireland is not an excuse for family fair with kids wearing the concentration camp SS guards.