Germany fans banned from buying number 44 kits over Nazi symbolism
Media said the number 44 on the shirts resembled the symbol used by WW2-era Nazi SS units.
Just by looking at the number '4' in print, it makes me wonder if whoever made the design is stupid or did it on purpose, and no other choice exists lol
I think what the number 44 specifically would look like was probably way outside the radar of whoever designed that font. Yeah, it looks similar, but even noticing that I still really wouldn't have assumed that someone wearing intends it as a nazi symbol. Is there really a need to announce a ban and solidify that it will be one? Just change the damn font going forward. Are they going to ban 88 too?
There's only 23 players in a squad and, traditionally, only the numbers 1-11 used on the pitch. There are no good reasons for 44, let alone 88, to exist.
"Ban" is a clickbait word. Adidas has decided not to make any more of them because it doesn't want to be associated with Nazis. Oh noes.
I don't give two cents about any of this, but here's a thought exercise on not banning things because it gives people on the wrong side of history something to hold onto: evil and good always find a way - the people in the right side of history also had to hold on to something, be it a carnation or three fingers fucking the air. The interesting part here is that evil always lurks in the laziness or comfort of good, so taking advantage of a good thing is always the lazy evil thing to do. If we let people parade around with this shirt, be it for edginess or foulness, maybe an example should be set and not let that happen.. on the other hand... back to first sentences and so on.
Perhaps letting people have the stupid shirt and catch the evil lazy fucks a while later is the way to go (uh so harsh). Perhaps ending encrypted internet and finally catching the pedos and eastern bots is the way to go. Perhaps reading everyone's mind is how we finally catch the predators.
I don't care, nothing is absolutely right, ban or don't ban, but I would look for the people trying to unban it first hehe
It's a... lets say, European design, of the number four.
So they gonna buy it online from another country and brag even more about how rare it is?
No, the design will be changed
Yeah, I can see why 😂
They don't give a shit, they just don't want a bunch of neo-nazis running around bringing attention to how bad things have gotten.
I don't care if that's real, that's fucking hilarious.
Fucking loons..
Ouch. They should either change the font or just ban 44 globally.
I don’t find it extremely resembling, but okay. Will they ban 88 on all shirts ever? Extremists will find symbols in anything.
88 is too "generic" to be banned. The double sig rune in a similar graphic style as the SS symbol is pretty damn specific.
Edit : actually it's nothing like a ban. This is just Adidas understandably trying not to be associated with neo nazis. They could very well "ban" people from buying custom 88 shirts too because of the association and the fact that no actual football player uses it in the first place
The font resembles it after someone made the connection and put it forward as obvious, but still it is just some extreme connection imo. What are they gonna do next, ban the symbol from history books or popular games like Wolfenstein?
Also, (deep sigh) what does 88 symbolize? Care to inform the "ignorant"?
8th letter of the alphabet (H), twice => short for "Heil Hitler". Very common way for nazis to recognize each other
What are they gonna do next, ban the symbol from history books or popular games like Wolfenstein?
History is history, so I don't think it's banned from history books as long as it doesn't glorify nazi Germany or engages in revisionism. About videogames though... Until 2018, yes.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I only remember this stuff from my German class and my mom who lived in Germany for a few years in the 70s. Also, read the article. This isn't a legal thing, this is simply a brand trying to avoid getting associated with nazis
Damn, I knew some people born in 1988 pick usernames that ends with 88. Does that mean they're incorrectly identified as Nazi?
Thank you for the explanation. Unfortunately I can't reach the link. It seems the generation of the symbolism originates in the extremist groups, so I'm wrong in pointing the connection to the other side.
However, I'm still strongly against historic revisionism through whitewashing some elements and making appropriate depictions a taboo, whether in books or in cultural elements like games, video, or other things. The more we separate these things as strict black and white things, the more we are numbed to the gradual shift in the evil's direction. Making things taboo and learned underhand via shady gatherings or groups only serves them, does not help rationally put that knowledge into the right mental place.
