What is it about public officials and Nazi uniforms these days. We just saw a Portland police officer accused wearing a Nazi uniform and building a memorial to fallen German soldiers including a SS officer and a war criminal. Now, Rich Iott, Ohio Republican nominee for Ohio’s Ninth District (second from the right) has been shown in his World War II German uniform.
Iott a wealth businessman running against Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D). He likes to hang out with other World War II reenactors as a faux member of the 5th SS Wiking Panzer Division. The Atlantic article below has some incredible quotes from the website of the group about how the real soldiers were “idealists” who fought to protect the motherland. However, the site says:
“This page or anyone involved in its creation, or members of reenactment groups listed here, are in no way affiliated with real, radical political organizations (i.e., KKK, Aryan Nation, American Nazi Party, etc.) and do not embrace the philosophies and actions of the original NSDAP (Nazi party), and wholeheartedly condemn the atrocities which made them infamous.”
Iott insists that he is not a Nazi — he essentially just plays one at these events.
Parts of the 5th SS Wiking Panzer Division were accused of war crimes against Jews in the Ukraine.
Of course, this allows Iott to release his new slogan: “Vote for Iott: Because It Is Better To Be A Little Reich Than A Lot Wrong.”
Source: The Atlantic.
Buckeye:
I read through most of those pictures, it was a web site developed by an old timer in west virginia. It seemed pretty tame to me, with the exception of the picture showing the President in African garb, that was over the top. But he did tell Joe the Plumber he wanted to spread the wealth around. So I think the anti Marxist/Socialist theme is appropriate.
As far as the birth certificate, that’s fair game as well. He should show the long form and be done with it. I cant believe he is not a citizen but apparently there are many people who don’t think he is. If I were him I would show it. He just gives those people more ammunition.
Mike Adams,
Yeah, this:
“Nazi Germany had no problem in recruiting the multitudes of volunteers willing to lay down their lives to ensure a “New and Free Europe”, free of the threat of Communism. National Socialism was seen by many in Holland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and other eastern European and Balkan countries as the protector of personal freedom and their very way of life, despite the true underlying totalitarian (and quite twisted, in most cases) nature of the movement. Regardless, thousands upon thousands of valiant men died defending their respective countries in the name of a better tomorrow. We salute these idealists; no matter how unsavory the Nazi government was, the front-line soldiers of the Waffen-SS (in particular the foreign volunteers) gave their lives for their loved ones and a basic desire to be free…”
is about remembering the atrocities at Dachau.
I mean, just listen to these glowing reviews of the historical accuracy of the group’s work:
“‘These guys don’t know their history,’ said Charles W. Sydnor, Jr., a retired history professor and author of ‘Soldiers of Destruction: The SS Death’s Head Division, 1933-45,’ which chronicles an SS division. ‘They have a sanitized, romanticized view of what occurred.'”
“Christopher Browning, a professor of history at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, said, ‘It is so unhistorical and so apologetic that you don’t know to what degree they’ve simply caught up innocent war memorabilia enthusiasts who love putting on uniforms.'”
But hey, what do historians know about preserving history? THEY don’t participate in mock battles.
Maaarrghk!
I suspect you’ve never worn a Maggie Thatcher dress or hairdo, either.
The Wikin website disclaimer gives Mr. Iott cover but his admiration of the power of the Nazi SS, scourge of Europe, is a possible clue about his feeling of powerlessness – a Tea Party trait.
He chose the SS over Union or Confederate reenactment for some reason. I’m just leary of that reason. When the rest of his background is taken into account (unable to be accepted in the military, getting medals from both Israel and Austria , etc.), it is more understandable, but no less reprehensible.
Maybe 100 years from now his actions would be more acceptable. Right now there are too many of us that are too close to WWII for it to be admirable in any way.
It’s better than joining a skinhead militia group, I guess.
Buckeye.
Perhaps you are mistaking admiration for an admission to being impressed. Has this chap actually come out with a phrase such as, “I really admire those nazis.”? I suspect not.
As a personal example, I am impressed with what Margaret Thatcher achieved in the UK – both her holding on to power for so long and what she did while in power.
But do I support what she did in any way? Not a chance matey.
Byron
http://einhornpress.com/ParkersburgWestVirginiaTaxDayTeaParty.aspx
Buckeye:
I guess I haven’t seen the things you have seen. Although I have never been to a rally nor do I know of any Tea Partiers and I don’t watch Glen Beck.
Can you give me some specifics.
Byron
It’s not the quotes I’m concerned about. It’s the misquotes and out of context quotes that concern me.
As far as being intellectually unarmed, our public school system has evidently failed to teach both civics and critical thinking to determine a rational action, as far as our political life, to a large number of our citizens.
It’s true we don’t have an inclination toward collectivism, at least in theory, but we have ample examples of jingoism run wild in the past. “Not real Americans” covers a heck of a lot of us. And I’m glad you’re not worried. I wish I weren’t.
Buckeye:
I wouldnt worry too much, Tea Partiers are quoting Jefferson, Madison, the DOI and Constitution (ours not Germanys). We also dont have a historical-philosophical bent toward collectivism as the Germans had and which had already laid the intellectual groundwork for Hitler. I. E. Hegel, Marx and others had left the Germans intellectually unarmed to refute the collectivism and the Nazi ideal of a supreme state where the individual was just a tool of the state.
If you hear the Tea Partiers quoting Marx and Hegel I would start to worry. Jefferson and Madison I think we are safe.
Maaarrghk!
If he’s just a good guy being nice enough to take the part of a losing side because others would rather not, (he never has – he’s always been a Union or American soldier in reenactments) that’s not so bad. Yearning for reflected power or glory is not so good.
He clearly admires the power represented by the Nazi army.
‘They took over most of Europe and Russia, and it really took the combined effort of the free world to defeat them. From a purely historical military point of view that’s incredible,’ he said.
No doubt he also admires the Romans for their military prowess. However, not knowing the background of a group you want to, however vicariously, represent – or ignoring that group’s vicousness (as the group’s website does) – is not very commendable. Especially when you are running for a national office.
So, yes, I’m paranoid. His political beliefs are just what I’m worried about. It is not irrelevant that Mr. Iott is a Tea Party backed candidate. Their feeling of powerlessness is what is driving their actions. Not unlike 1920’s Germany. “Not real Americans” are the new Jew/Gypsy/Homosexual.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/goper-slams-cantor-for-disowning-him-over-nazi-reenactments.php?ref=fpa
Meg Whitman Has Her Own Way To Deal With Illegal Immigrants (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/08/meg-whitman-has-her-own-w_n_756414.html
Having spent some years around the re-enactment scene in the UK working for a supplier of muskets and pistols I can tell you that the “phoney” name thing is all part of it.
I have friends with “phoney” Anglo-Saxon names (Dark Ages Society) as well as friends with “phoney” 17th century English titles in the English Civil War Societies. It forms a basis for the way that ones efforts towards faithful re-enactment are rewarded.
One starts of on joining up as a lowly slave or pikeman and graduates, perhaps becoming a merchant, officer and so forth.
I think there is a lot of desperate false paranoia being kicked up about this guy and do find it really tiresome.
As his hobbies do not include child rape or murder of those on sub $20K incomes, perhaps it is best to leave his private life alone and concentrate on his political beliefs as a basis for discrediting the tea-party movement.
Good thing he’s not in Deutschland. He’d be in prison. I find it creepy that the guy has a German phony name, as well as being a member of Grupp Wiking. He seems a little too invested in the Nazi thing. I don’t think he’s just a prop for playing the bad guy.
Given the Reichstag’s, er, Congress’ recent performance perhaps Iott should be participating in a Weimar re-enactment group like the rest of Congress is doing every day in their effort to create an American version of the Gleichschaltung (the coordination). For those not familiar with the term, it’s the Weimar Reichtag’s actions that allowed them to legislate contrary to the German Constitution and paved the way for jackbooted thugs and their leader to ascend to be the poster boy for fascism gone wrong. You may recall their actions from 1933 until 1945. Nothing positive can be said of their rule except that they had really swank uniforms.
If you think it can’t happen here?
You haven’t been paying attention to Congress.
Iott’s perfect for the current Congress.
Elaine,
Thank you for the link … I had heard about the comversation but had missed it.
mespo727272
1, October 11, 2010 at 9:04 am
Living history? I call it living through someone else’s misery or glory.
Growing up in the shadow of an army base during Vietnam, I knew lots of tough returning vets. I had a few in my family too. One thing I learned about the the best of ‘em is that they never wore their battle scars like ribbons, didn’t play macho with folks, and didn’t want to play army for fun. The really good ones didn’t revel in killing, and didn’t think their Country owed ‘em anything either. Wonder why some new vets don’t “re-enact” that?
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This has been my observation also.
Here’s a link to a video of Bill Maher and Joshua Green discussing–on Real Time–the Rich Iott story that Green wrote for The Atlantic.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-maher-and-the-atlantics-joshua-green-investigate-nazi-reenacting-house-candidate-rich-iott/
Mike Adams:
“I find it curious that you can’t understand what living history is all about.
I am not as tough now as I once was, God knows. Years of service to my country and my community has taken a toll. One knee hardly works and the right arm sometimes fails me. I have a 20 inch scar right down the middle of my gut. A poor dead NVA kid with an AK47 did that to me.
But guess what honey, I am still plenty tough enough to take care of you.”
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Living history? I call it living through someone else’s misery or glory.
Growing up in the shadow of an army base during Vietnam, I knew lots of tough returning vets. I had a few in my family too. One thing I learned about the the best of ’em is that they never wore their battle scars like ribbons, didn’t play macho with folks, and didn’t want to play army for fun. The really good ones didn’t revel in killing, and didn’t think their Country owed ’em anything either. Wonder why some new vets don’t “re-enact” that?
I’m curious, Mike, how would feel about people wanting to re-enact the Charles Manson or John Gacy histories?
Doing a bit more research, it seems this bloke has been involved in the re-enactment scene for many years, also playing the parts of WW1 US troops and civil war Union troops.
For those who prefer to see a little balance to these non-stories…..
Living history remember. Someone has to play the bad guys.