Hitler t-shirts, Hitler jewelry, Hitler, statues… this isn’t occupied Germany in the 1940’s, or a neo-Nazi convention. It’s Thai “Hitler-Chic” fashion, and it’s offending scores of foreigners in “the land of smiles”.
Young Thais have described the designs as being “cute” and “funny”, but they aren’t so funny to Israeli diplomats in Bangkok, who have expressed outrage over the matter; nor are they funny to travelers fromIsrael, Europe and North America, especially those whose families were personally affected by the Holocaust.
From Hitler Teletubbies to “McHitler”, do the indisputably offensive designs sported by Thai youth demonstrate ignorance, malice, or both? Should Thais be held responsible for their misuse of Nazism, a period that certainly has had little impact on their own history, in this age of the internet and globalization?
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hi, I’m from Thailand. Sorry for the news. In Thailand, History is not the favorite subject. I’m sorry to say that the only reason for learning history in Thailand is for examination. Parents tends to encourage their children to read Math, Physics, Chemistry, etc.. (To get in Engineering School, Medical School or Law School, etc..) I can called myself middle age now and has a very satisfied work. When I recalled my knowledge about Hitler in my childhood about 15 years ago, I can’t think about Hitler much more than a bad character guy in Japanese Manga. He has turned into cyborg and fight with the Peacock King (Saga of the Phoenix). If someone in Thailand talks about Hitler, it may not be the same Hitler. It may be just a character in Manga that has a different absurd story. (Nowaday, I think the teenagers like South Korea Manga, South Korea Soap Opera, and South Korea Singers a lot.) By the way, I think telling us that our behaviors is bad is OK. We will improve it.
(P.S. I’ve visit this shop once, but not get in, just pass by, before the news. I’ve never pass this shop again. Now, this shop is in the news. I think the world has just promote this shop already!!! Some respectable guy said to me that the best way to make something unnoticed is to make it not special. If you threat this topic special, it will special, and make the news. But if you just see it as an object, nothing special, it will reduce it’s significance to nothing. Hitler is bad, but he was dead a long time ago. He cannot do a thing now. We should remember his bad behavior, but anger is in our heart will destroy us. And it will destroy our target too. I don’t suggest any thing. Just to remind about bad property of hatre and anger that everyone already know.)
And in the film “Little Nicky”, I saw Hitler dressed like a maid and was shoved a pine apple up his ass. That’s how I know Hitler. That’s how I pictured Hitler. That’s how I concluded that if I try something bad with his fictional appearance, no one will complaint much. I didn’t like to read History, but I learnt from more vivid media like Manga or Movie. (But you can tell me if it’s too far away from reality. If you tell me, I don’t have to read it myself. Reading history book is boring. Thanks in Advanced.)