Reclaiming the swastika

[Kwacky]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29644591" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good article showing it has been used in Europe for about 15,000 years and was being used frequently right up to the start of the Second World War.

So who is first up for a swastika tattoo?

[Rossgo]

I must admit I never knew it was a religious symbol up until I was about 15 and I saw it up on a poster in my Indian mates bedroom. I asked and he explained! But screw having a tat of it haha!!

[Blade]

Very interesting read, I had no idea about the earlier use of the swastika.

[D6]

I knew it was used before WWII but it's too well known for that now to be sued elsewehre.

[Mac]

I knew it was used before WWII but it's too well known for that now to be sued elsewehre.

Or used, for that matter.

But I agree, I think it would be one constant explanation of why you have the tat, or are displaying it.

[beermonster]

The Romans used the swastika a lot in their decorations. I used to do a bit of Roman re-enactment and did toy with the idea of putting a swastika pattern into the hobnails in my boots just to wind up people when they saw my footprints!

Nazism and fascism (two slightly different things) both used a lot of Roman imagery (eg the Eagle, swastika etc.) and in fact the very term fascist is derived from the fasces which was a Roman symbol nicked by Mussolini (it was a bundle of wooden rods surrounding an axe). I'll get me cloak!

[bb41]

nope I wouldn't have it even if it was used elsewhere out of decency. Kwacky, there are a lot of unintelligent people out there who'd use anything to put the boot in.
Interesting facts though

[D41]

In the modern West, the Finns were the first to use it as part of their air force insignia (haven't read the article, so don't know if it's in there)...that was back in 1917. Goering was a friend of whoever ran the FAF, and seeing as Goering was a bit overweight and no-one liked him, he decided to adopt the swastika for his planes too....the legs of the swastika look like they're running, and Goering hoped people would think he'd been working out.

Fact.

[Kwacky]

It was used by American military units during World War One and it could be seen on RAF planes as late as 1939. Most of these benign uses came to a halt in the 1930s as the Nazis rose to power in Germany.

[Deegee]

In the modern West, the Finns were the first to use it as part of their air force insignia (haven't read the article, so don't know if it's in there)...that was back in 1917. Goering was a friend of whoever ran the FAF, and seeing as Goering was a bit overweight and no-one liked him, he decided to adopt the swastika for his planes too....the legs of the swastika look like they're running, and Goering hoped people would think he'd been working out.

Fact.

Reminds me of the Triskellion tbh, very similar concept.

[D41]

Forgive my ignorance...or forgetfulness...or both. The Triskellion is the IOM symbol, correct??

[Deegee]

Yep, spot on.

[duke63]

Some claim that the IOM symbol is where Hitler got his idea for the swastika from.

[Kwacky]

That's highly doubtful when you look at all of the evidence.

[D41]

Duke....I already wrote it earlier...they nicked it from the Finnish Air Force....any ideas anyone has that the Triskellion is a three-legged Swastika are pure bunk.

[duke63]

I was only suggesting what has been said in the past.

According to this the origins of the Nazi use of it came from 'a dentist in Starnberg'.

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/de%7Dns_or.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[D41]

No mate, of course you didn't....I just get all historical once in a while....