A Gold Coast auction of Nazi memorabilia – including a German “Jews Unwanted” building sign, a Star of David Holocaust armband, and swastika-emblazoned Third Reich flags and daggers – has been slammed as “sickening” and “blatant anti-Semitism under the hammer” by the Jewish community.
Danielle Elizabeth antique auction house at Southport is hosting a global online auction of 166 lots, most of which are Nazi militaria and Holocaust artefacts from World War II supplied by the ailing son of a German SS officer.
Bids close on Sunday for the items, such as a collection of 500 disturbing photographs purported to have been taken by the Third Reich’s official photographer, including images of a pile of skulls and a stretcher entering a crematorium.
Members of the Australian Jewish community are horrified at the sale, and say some of the merchandise – particularly a 1938 “Juden unerwunscht” building sign banning Jews from entering businesses – is “blatant antisemitism under the hammer”.
Victoria and NSW criminalised the public display of Nazi symbols last year.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Darren Bark urged all remaining states and territories to also legislate bans to stop these “disgusting” auctions.
“NSW has strong and effective laws banning the public display of Nazi symbols, which includes displaying such symbols online and on social media,” Mr Bark said.
Read the article by Sarah Elks in The Australian.