In late 1939 the German pocket battleship Graf Spee engaged three ships of the Royal Navy off the coast of Uruguay in the Battle of the River Plate. The German ship was damaged in the exchange, and could not have been repaired in time, so its commander decided to scuttle it in relatively shallow water in the river near Montevideo.
The hulk of the battleship has been considered a danger to navigation in the decades since, and attempts to raise the pieces of the wreck were eventually undertaken. As part of the process, the gigantic bronze eagle from the stern of the ship was brought up from the depths.
The eagle is a masterpiece of National Socialist iconography, and perches upon a huge graven swastika. After it was brought to light, the Uruguayan government faced the problem of what to do with the artifact. Obviously, the public display of the fearsome swastika could not be permitted. A tentative plan was decided upon: the eagle would be melted down and recast as a dove of peace. However, there has since been significant opposition to that plan by those who see the eagle as an important historical artifact, and want it to be preserved in a museum. As a result, it has been granted a reprieve, at least for the time being.
When I went looking for a photo of the eagle to accompany this post, I discovered that most photos had the swastika covered or cropped out of the picture. It seems that our politically correct masters in the 21st century share the Nazis’ view of the swastika — the Hakenkreuz — as a symbol imbued with potent, mystical powers. To gaze upon it is dangerous, for it may turn the mind of the unwitting viewer away from the light and into the realm of darkness. Under no circumstances should ordinary citizens be allowed to see it!
Below are two recent articles about the eagle of the Graf Spee, both translated by Gary Fouse. The first is from Uruguay:
“Conserve the eagle of the Graf Spee in a museum”
Signatures collected to avoid the Graf Spee eagle being transformed into a dove: More than 17,800
June 17, 2023
Montevideo (Uypress) — The announcement by President Luis Lacalle Pou on the conversion of the Graf Spee eagle into a dove of peace generated mixed opinions and provoked a group of citizens to collect signatures on the Change.org platform under the title: “Conserve the Graf Spee eagle in a museum,” which has surpassed 17,806 signatures.
“We consider the transformation of the Graf Spee eagle to be inappropriate. The eagle should be conserved in a museum. History should be remembered in order not to commit the same errors. New generations are prone to forgetfulness and recidivism. Remembering the bad, keeping in mind the symbols that represent them is an enormous responsibility for society, both locally and globally,” the petition states on Change.org.
The publication already has more than 17,806 people who have signed, and among the comments, appears one from the actor and comedian Diego Delgrossi. “It is part of the history of Uruguay and a stage in world history. We do not have an excess of material from that period. We do a disservice to history.”
The second article is from the Berliner Zeitung in Germany:
Continue reading →