I recently decided to sell some of my WWII historical items, including items that either bear a swastika or other related items that are not allowed by eBay's Nazi policy. Before I continue, I have included the poicy below:
Not allowed
Items that are not permitted include, but are not limited to:
- Historical Holocaust-related items, including reproductions such as:
- Uniforms and personal belongings of concentration camp prisoners
- Jewish identification (armbands, Star of David)
- Holocaust photos that depict dead bodies, executions, or other violent or degrading scenes
- Nazi-issued documents (passports, travel papers)
- Historical Nazi-related items, including reproductions such as:
- Uniforms, uniform components, weapons, or other items that bear Nazi symbols, whether visible or covered
- Listings and products in which images are edited or cropped to try and hide Nazi symbols
- De-Nazified items (items that originally had Nazi symbols that have been removed)
- Items that were owned by, affiliated with, or books written by Nazi leaders such as:
- Joseph Goebbels
- Hermann Goering
- Rudolf Hess
- Reinhard Heydrich
- Heinrich Himmler
- Adolf Hitler
- 1936 Olympic medals
- Any item made after 1933 that bears a swastika (e.g., jewelry, clothing, rugs, fabrics), unless listed in the allowed section above. We are sensitive that the swastika is commonly and legitimately used in religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. However, given the highly offensive nature of the Nazi swastika, we have decided to not allow any non-historic items bearing a swastika.
- Media identified as Nazi propaganda or that otherwise promote hatred or racial supremacy including historic and current items
Here is my problem with this policy, they allow some items with the swastika and other items not. That in itself is historical. Also, if those items are banned, then we are basically saying that part of history never existed. I for one will never forget, because my family is Jewish, and I think its disrespectful to all of the Jews that died during that period of time to have that significance banished. History is important, and these items are part of that history. Collectors are actually helping preserve that history and eBay wants to hide that because they are worried about being respectful? Here is an excerpt from an article I read" "Never forget" is a phrase often invoked when contemplating the Holocaust; we must never forget that it happened, so that it might never happen again. Part of keeping that memory alive must involve maintaining the physical evidence of it. Strange as it may at first seem, a market in which history-minded collectors place a monetary value on Nazi artifacts, and in which they buy and sell them to other collectors — or donate them to museums — can serve a role in preserving our collective historical memory. If an object has no value, it will eventually be disregarded and thrown away. That memory will die. And then we will have forgotten."
What are peoples thoughts on this?
This is eBay's site and they can make any rules that they want. They aren't going to make everyone happy. If they said Nazi items were okay to list, then I'm sure there would be posts here complaining about that.
How do you think that not allowing Nazi items to be listed is 'erasing history'? Are there some people who want to erase what happened during WWII from history? Yes. People are going to be offended by anything, wheather it be the Confederate Flag or items with the Nazi symbol on them. These things should not be erased from history, but again, eBay can make any rules they want. If they say no Nazi items, then don't list Nazi items on their site.
