German gamers 2nd class gamers!

[quote user="Argontheos"]

Apparently the Nazi symbol is banned in video games because Germany categorises them as toys, even the ones with mature ratings. You can't display the symbol on toys.

[/quote]

Well no.

You're not allowed to display Nazi symbols in Germany because it's against the law to display Nazi symbols in Germany.

It's not restricted to toys.

It's restricted to Germany.

Not on your toys. Not on your lawn. Not on the side of your house. Not on your skin. Not in your video games.

It's part of their criminal code.

Before his execution at the Nurenberg trials, before he was executed for war crimes and crimes against humanity Hans Frank said "A thousand years shall pass and still Germany's guilt will not have been erased".

It's hard for a modern generation to wrap their heads around this statement but perhaps William L Shirer provides some perspective in his preface to "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" when he pairs Frank's quote with George Santayana's statement "Those
who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".

If it's all sounding a little cerebral when it comes to the Swastika in Germany, bringing up this symbol is is even less tasteful and telling David Bowie Death Jokes at his funeral.

Nazi symbols are not considered appropriate for entertainment purposes.

Despite being understandably sensative about their countries actions in the Second World War the country also has very strict censorship laws for violence as well.

 

@Ax ~ Dude... I know the restrictions in Germany.

It's not against the law to show Nazi symbols from the Swastika on down in movies and TV shows for adult consumption. German films like Downfall - for example. Video games that are M Rated [18+] and intended for adults belong in that entertainment, adult
consumption exemption -- they shouldn't be classified as toys.

But thanks for the almost-edification anyway. Heh ha. They really need to reconsider their position on video games since the demo of the consumers is a massive majority of adults. =)

 

Here's a link to the German Law Archive.

germanlawarchive.iuscomp.org

The specific legislation is section 86 and 86a.

There is a provision for allowing the display of these symbols:

"(3) Subsection (1) shall not be applicable if the means of propaganda or the act serves to further civil enlightenment, to avert unconstitutional aims, to promote art or science, research or teaching, reporting about current historical events or similar
purposes" Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch, StGB).

Video games do not fit into the criteria described above.

 

Care to explain why you think video games don't fit into that exemption - and let's say, just for an example, Inglorious Basterds does?

The same year Wolfenstein was banned Inglorious Basterds was topping the German movie charts and was one of the country's highest grossing films. It was brilliantly received and its success was reported to have been a shackle-breaking example of how Germany's
youth can cheer a fascist being blown up just like any other modern person in any other country. They identify with Basterds! Why should they have guilt?

So, Inglorious Basterds: A story set in alternate reality events of WWII with a bunch of Americans, Germans, and Jews carving Swastikas into the heads of Nazi's and scalping others, and in which every significant leader of the Third-Reich is destroyed and
the war ended - as they watch a propaganda film in a theatre.

Wolfenstein: A story set in alternate reality events of WWII with a American running around being decidedly less violent than the Basterds, and in which every significant leader of the Third Reich is implicated in mysticism and ultimately destroyed.

One has Swastikas front and centre carved in bloodied foreheads of fictional Nazi's... the other is banned because a blurry Swatika slipped through as all symbolism was being removed from the work.

The New Order and Old Blood removes all references to Nazi's and I think replaces them with generic terms like "The Regime" or something. It's almost insulting to adult Germans to have to either pretend they have no idea what "The Regime" actually represents,
or import foreign versions of games like this and have an adult experience on a medium more popular even than movies.

Mew! The ONLY reason video games are given a raw deal in Germany is because that crusty classification of games as toys is so outmoded, The New Order is right up there with Basterds as far as story-driven content IMO... and this is all IMO. {=D If they don't
ban a game they refuse it classification, list A, which means companies can't advertise it and shops can't have it on display, adults have to ask for it as if it's an under-the-counter shot of whiskey in prohibition era America. lmao

Gears 1 and 2 are no goes, Gears 3 is fine! Gears Ultimate... no go Be consistent, crusty old German consors! Heh ha!

 

It doesn't matter what you think.

It doesn't matter what I think either since neither one of us are on the German Board of Censors.

You strike me as a person who has a lot of spare time.

Why not spend some of this petitioning the German Government to recognise "Wolfenstein" for the culturally significant high art it actually is?

Let us know how you get on.

 

You're right, it doesn't matter what we think, and we're not vying for political change here, man... lol... we're sharing what we think on a public discussion forum, and a forum's existence is pretty much reliant on people sharing what they think. {}

So, er, no... to the whole petition thing.

Buuuuuuut I don't think Wolfenstein is culturally significant, but that isn't what stopped it from getting a full uncensored release in Germany. As I explained: it's because it's classed as a toy. Inglourious Basterds wasn't submitted to the same rigorous
purge of symbolism, probably because it has the benefit of existing in a medium that didn't start life on platforms that were pretty much marketed and developed to entertain kids.

Pretty sure we can agree that the thing that takes up so much of our time and the reason we're even in the same forum... it kinda moved beyond toy status a while ago. Heh. {XD