The German law bans the use of the Hakenkreuz, the symbol used by the Nazi Party adopted by Adolf Hitler. Violators are fined or face imprisonment of up to three years.
The Nazi regime and its collaborators engineered the Holocaust decades ago that massacred 6 million Jews. Today, Europeans pursue a zero-tolerance policy on Nazi or neo-Nazi-themed activities.
In July, Evgeny Nikitin, a Russian bass-baritone opera singer, cancelled his performance as the Dutchman in the production of Wagner's opera, “The Flying Dutchman,” at the opening of the 101st Bayreuth Festival in Germany, after tattoos on his chest were shown by German media, according to news reports. He withdrew from the performance three days before the opening premiere because the chest tattoos depicted the controversial swastika symbol.
A month earlier, UEFA levied fines of 25,000 euros (about 36 million won) on the German football association for neo-Nazi activities conducted by some Germans at the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship. The Germans, carrying banners bearing neo-Nazi catchphrases, chanted “sieg,” literally meaning victory, during the Germany-Denmark match in Ukraine. Sieg comes from “sieg heil,” or hail to victory, a Nazi salute.
