Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/07/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I can emphasize with Nathan's revulsion over swastikas on Leicas. I share it from a purely historical perspective; the closest I got was asking why a childhood pal's sickly Polish immigrant Mom had a number tattoo on her forearm in the 1960s. NO nation on earth has ever suffered as much as Poland did under the bearers of that symbol. I'm relatively new to Leicadom (and back again with a IIIf as it's a hard habit to break!), but the only Leica with that symbol I have ever seen was on Stephen Gandy's site...and that example was gaudy enough to certainly be called a tasteless afterthought or a fake. Hans Frank, the Plenipotentiary for the Generalgovernment (Poland 'ceased to exist' in 1939), on the gallows at Nuremburg said that the acts by him and his ilk would be a permanent stain on Germany. The Nazis are all but gone. Poland, though it's suffering from tyranny would remain for half a century later, would remain and ultimately flourish long after its' oppressors demise to the dustbin of history. Decades later, we would learn of how E. Leitz Wetzlar moved come of its' Jewish employees offshore to safety. The overriding evil cannot be dismissed, nor should it ever be. Peoples are not evil. Alas, the symbol is ancient in other cultures, a fact that also has to be considered. However, the Nazis made it into a enduring symbol of the worst in human barbarity, and in turn, should never be forgotten. If there are swastika-marked Leicas, they belong in a museum to remind all of a terrible chapter of history. Never Again! Meanwhile, back to the concept, engineering, and use of these cameras that possess us. Charlie On Jul 1, 2009, at 1:59 AM, Richard Man wrote: > Nathan, it's flipped horizontal and level, and not turned 45 > degrees. Like this: > > __ > __|_| > | |__ > > > Well, I hope that kind of come out... > > On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 9:52 PM, Nathan > Wajsman<photo at frozenlight.eu> wrote: >>> >> As for the swastika, I do realize that it is an ancient Hindu >> symbol, but I >> always thought that in that version it is 45% rotated compared to >> the Nazi >> version? At least that is the way it is in Copenhagen, where it >> adorns two >> of the four stone elephants at the entrance to the Carlsberg >> brewery. Those >> were made in the 19th century and have been left as they were, >> although the >> guides showing you around are somewhat embarassed. >> > > > -- > // richard m: richard @imagecraft.com > // w: http://www.rfman.com blog: http://rfman.wordpress.com > // book: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/745963 > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >