IcedLemonCrush 144 points145 points 2 months ago

It’s the symbol of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, and has been the symbol of the German military for hundreds of years, including its (controversial) predecessors.

The cross itself isn’t bad. But the context of tattooing a symbol of German militarism probably, very likely means that you’re a nazi, or another branch of fascism that is infatuated by German military history, unless you have a specific connection to the modern Bundeswehr.

pansensuppe 51 points52 points 2 months ago

I served in the German Bundeswehr and even if you have a very specific connection to the armed forces, you would never use this symbol... unless you're a Neo-Nazi.

While it's also the symbol of the modern armed forces (Bundeswehr), people who use it usually reference the Wehrmacht. We call it a swastika in disguise.

IcedLemonCrush 9 points10 points 2 months ago

Yeah, displays of military pride in general isn’t a very good look on a German, especially like this.

Someone else on this thread said they have a similar tattoo for this reason though, so I guess having a small tattoo with the word “Bundeswehr” written in large letters might make it better (or they’re “soft” fascists).

ArnieRed 2 points3 points 2 months ago

"We call it a swastika in disguise." -> exactly, because the original swastika is a forbidden symbol, so Nazis use the iron cross as a substitute.
Seeing it outside of military context or education is a good sign that you're a Nazi also in Germany

LordVile95 13 points14 points 2 months ago

Pretty sure they changed it for the Nazi armies. I mean it was still present but not the actual symbol. Honestly associate it more with Motörhead than the Nazis

IcedLemonCrush 15 points16 points 2 months ago

The Nazis just put a swastika in the middle of the cross, but that’s it.

I know nothing about Motörhead, but many similar crosses exist that aren’t the iron cross. Technically, OP’s tattoo is not an iron cross, just a normal cross pattée that is often mistaken as a “Maltese cross”, and is used in other types of heraldry. In context, though, it’s meant to be an iron cross.

If a Brazilian person saw this tattoo, they would just think they love the Vasco da Gama football club, where the cross pattée just symbolizes its roots in poor Portuguese immigrant communities.

LordVile95 4 points5 points 2 months ago

The shield of the German army was an eagle with a swastika under it. The flag was a red background, white offset cross with a swastika in the centre of the cross and an iron cross in the corner of the flag.

Lemmy (bass and vocals) was a German war memorabilia collector. It was certainly an iron cross.

IcedLemonCrush 4 points5 points 2 months ago

Oh, they certainly used the swastika and other symbols much more than the iron cross. It was still used though, and like I said, it symbolizes all of Prussian/German military history, not just nazis.

time7okay 0 points1 point 2 months ago

LiesInRuin 7 points8 points 2 months ago

Thanks I live in a hole and thought this was some sort of biker related tattoo

OathOfFeanor 2 points3 points 2 months ago

Not just you, I did too.

I guess this means Discovery Channel had a TV show about a Neo Nazi biker shop:

LiesInRuin 1 point2 points 2 months ago

Okay see I was trying to figure out why in the fuck I was associating this with bikers. Nazis really did ruin everything.

DaNewsMan50 0 points1 point 2 months ago

I had a wallet with one of these on it when I was fifteen. I had no idea what it was, I just thought it looked cool. Now I'm wondering how many people thought I was a little Nazi every time I paid for food at McDonalds.

Arktuos 0 points1 point 2 months ago

Or you were a skater any time in the 2000s. These were everywhere. Some skating brand used it.

admirkelmendiq 0 points1 point 2 months ago

OK, I see, it's like the black flag with the "There is no God but Allah" written in arabic, it's not bad by itself, but if someone got it on a truck, it's more than likely that he's an extremist islamist. Thanks for the answer.