This is the weird haul of Nazi memorabilia gifted by Austria’s parliament to a museum and now red-faced bosses fear that extremists may take selfies with Hitler.
The Nazi objects were found during renovations in the Austrian Parliament in 2017 and are now donated to the ‘House of Austrian History’ in the capital of Vienna.
The unique findings include among others a bust and relief of Adolf Hitler, as well as two paintings of the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany who was born ‎on 20th April 1889 in Braunau am Inn in Austria.
Another notorious swastika-filled painting shows Horst Wessel, a Berlin leader of the Nazi Party’s stormtroopers who died in 1930 after being shot by communists and who was subsequently made into Nazi Germany’s most prominent martyr by propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
The Nazi objects, which were discovered in an armoured safe, were most likely part of an archive on the Nazi Party.
The House of Austrian History, a museum which details the modern history of Austria after 1918, announced it will deal with the unique objects in a sensible manner as to make sure “no selfies are being taken” with Hitler when the items are exhibited.
Museum director Monika Sommer said it is the biggest task for exhibition architects to discuss “how these objects can be shown without getting back to the same bearing and pose as in those days”.
Sommer said: “Because what we do not want is to prolong the images from that time. You could, for example, present the bust lying down or you could show it in a box and make it visible only through an observation slit.”
President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka said during the handover of the objects that “the processing of history is a permanent process that every generation has to take on anew”.
Sobotka added: “History does not repeat itself, but it must be an inspiration to anticipate the developments of the future.”
Both Sobotka and Sommer agreed on one thing: “These Nazi objects act as a reminder for the present time. Any form of ideological extremism must have no place in a democratic constitutional state.”
It is not yet known when the items will be showcased in the museum.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
