Nazi−era ‘runes’ put local authorities on alert
By Thomas Tracy
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| The pro−Nazi phrase “Triumph of Will” was found on a pedestrian footbridge in Sheepshead Bay last week. |
There’s a battle of wills brewing over “Triumph of Will” and other Nazi−era graffiti that has been seen sprouting up around the borough of late.
Police said that they are investigating the strange Nazi−runic graffiti in the hopes of tracking down who’s leaving the coded messages — most recently on the pedestrian foot bridge on East 14th Street and Shore Parkway back on May 13.
While many residents ignored the iron crosses, the number 88 — a code number among neo−Nazis for “Heil Hitler” — and the phrase “Triumph of Will” on the pedestrian bridge, a few concerned citizens in Sheepshead Bay called authorities — especially since the graffiti was found a short distance from Holocaust Memorial Park on Emmons and West End avenues, the only city park dedicated to victims of the Holocaust.
Members of the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force are on the case, although sources said that the graffiti could not be considered “bias” because it wasn’t solely directed to any ethnic group.
The graffiti was more pro−Nazi than anti−Jew, officials said.
Cops had the graffiti removed from the pedestrian foot bridge late last week.
But this wasn’t the first time that Nazi propaganda was found in the borough.
According to the New York Post, iron crosses and SS symbols have also been found painted on trees in the Sheepshead Bay area.
Similar graffiti was found in Windsor Terrace, but only Nazi historians would know what the graffiti meant −− it references the writings of an author who influenced Hitler and the Nazi party, the Post said.
Still more Nazi symbols were found in Greenpoint, officials said.
Yet it’s still not clear if the graffiti is anti−Semitic in nature.
According to the Anti−Defamation League (ADL), the graffiti is linked to Guido von List and his peculiar runic alphabet.
“[The alphabet] is not something most racist skinheads and neo−Nazis generally would be familiar with,” an ADL spokesperson said. “Though some Nazis were inspired by List, he was not the main source of their fascination with neo−paganism.”
“One can speculate that these items were created by someone interested in the occult, paganism, or secret societies, rather than someone who was an anti−Semite,” the spokesperson said.
Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this graffiti to come forward.
Police said that they are investigating the strange Nazi−runic graffiti in the hopes of tracking down who’s leaving the coded messages — most recently on the pedestrian foot bridge on East 14th Street and Shore Parkway back on May 13.
While many residents ignored the iron crosses, the number 88 — a code number among neo−Nazis for “Heil Hitler” — and the phrase “Triumph of Will” on the pedestrian bridge, a few concerned citizens in Sheepshead Bay called authorities — especially since the graffiti was found a short distance from Holocaust Memorial Park on Emmons and West End avenues, the only city park dedicated to victims of the Holocaust.
Members of the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force are on the case, although sources said that the graffiti could not be considered “bias” because it wasn’t solely directed to any ethnic group.
The graffiti was more pro−Nazi than anti−Jew, officials said.
Cops had the graffiti removed from the pedestrian foot bridge late last week.
But this wasn’t the first time that Nazi propaganda was found in the borough.
According to the New York Post, iron crosses and SS symbols have also been found painted on trees in the Sheepshead Bay area.
Similar graffiti was found in Windsor Terrace, but only Nazi historians would know what the graffiti meant −− it references the writings of an author who influenced Hitler and the Nazi party, the Post said.
Still more Nazi symbols were found in Greenpoint, officials said.
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According to the Anti−Defamation League (ADL), the graffiti is linked to Guido von List and his peculiar runic alphabet.
“[The alphabet] is not something most racist skinheads and neo−Nazis generally would be familiar with,” an ADL spokesperson said. “Though some Nazis were inspired by List, he was not the main source of their fascination with neo−paganism.”
“One can speculate that these items were created by someone interested in the occult, paganism, or secret societies, rather than someone who was an anti−Semite,” the spokesperson said.
Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this graffiti to come forward.
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yournabe.com.
Tom Metzger wrote on May 24, 2009 9:38 AM:
" Run for your lives THEY are coming! Its amazing when I see walls from one end of the country to the other covered with Mexican Narco drug signs along with Black gang signs.
I am surprised that anyone else can find space on the wall for another sign.
BOOBUS AMERICANS! "
I am surprised that anyone else can find space on the wall for another sign.
BOOBUS AMERICANS! "
Gene wrote on May 24, 2009 12:54 PM:
" Eileen this language is a wotanist composite it has nothing to do with the historical runes and im not sure it has anything to do with the historical nazis either Im not in the area i just found it browsing but i do know this is modern nazi mysticism "
Eileen wrote on May 25, 2009 11:23 AM:
" Gene, if this is "Wotanist mysticism" then Wotan is laughing his derriere off at whoever wrote it because at best they are clueless.
The letter "D" is not in ANY runic alphabet, it was only included because had the Dagaz rune been used in it's place it would have been harder for the average person to read. Some runes were inverted or deliberately chosen for their similarity to the Greek/Roman alphabet which we use to read English for the same reason. As a result the inscription is utter nonsense as any cognoscenti knows. This is simply trumped up garbage designed to scare people.
Your statements also make no sense, because if what you are calling "modern nazi mysticism" is not meant to have anything to do with historical nazis or historical runes why are you calling it a Wotanist composite? Wotan is a Germanic/Scandinavian deity. Both the elder futhark and the anglo saxon runic alphabet are (mis)used.
When symbols are stolen and misused by idiots that does not mean that the idiots should be given even that much credit. I could go out tomorrow and scribble what I think is "Hava Nagila" in Hebrew letters on a wall knowing nothing about either the language or the alphabet and that would not make me Jewish. :)
The only things which can be said in certainty about whoever wrote this is that 1) they were trying to make trouble by drawing parallels between racist nazis and the use of the runes
2) they were completely, laughably clueless about how they tried to go about making trouble "
The letter "D" is not in ANY runic alphabet, it was only included because had the Dagaz rune been used in it's place it would have been harder for the average person to read. Some runes were inverted or deliberately chosen for their similarity to the Greek/Roman alphabet which we use to read English for the same reason. As a result the inscription is utter nonsense as any cognoscenti knows. This is simply trumped up garbage designed to scare people.
Your statements also make no sense, because if what you are calling "modern nazi mysticism" is not meant to have anything to do with historical nazis or historical runes why are you calling it a Wotanist composite? Wotan is a Germanic/Scandinavian deity. Both the elder futhark and the anglo saxon runic alphabet are (mis)used.
When symbols are stolen and misused by idiots that does not mean that the idiots should be given even that much credit. I could go out tomorrow and scribble what I think is "Hava Nagila" in Hebrew letters on a wall knowing nothing about either the language or the alphabet and that would not make me Jewish. :)
The only things which can be said in certainty about whoever wrote this is that 1) they were trying to make trouble by drawing parallels between racist nazis and the use of the runes
2) they were completely, laughably clueless about how they tried to go about making trouble "
NYkr wrote on May 25, 2009 10:34 PM:
" Shocking yes. But wouldn't be surprised if the perpetrators were discovered to be members of the targeted group. There are many documented cases (worldwide) where alleged racist acts were in fact self-inflicted to garner media attention or to cover-up a crime. Now that is shameful.
Here's a handy tool to use in analyzing a situation: "who benefits from such incidences?" Enough said. "
Here's a handy tool to use in analyzing a situation: "who benefits from such incidences?" Enough said. "
David Lanham wrote on May 26, 2009 3:06 AM:
" I agree with Tom Metzger. There is Latino "Supremacist" and black "Supremacist" graffiti from one end of the country to the other. Nobody says a word about it! You cowards who are selectively outraged act as though you're crusading for justice, but you're merely attacking Whites because you know there will be no price to pay. "
Carrin Allen wrote on Jun 9, 2009 9:26 PM:
" I'm thinking these folks need to cut it out before they end up giving Asatru (and others) a bad rap!
I'm not a Nazi, AT ALL, but I recognize something similar to these runes (not that similar, really), and it's used by all sorts of people who either A) just happen to like runes or B) practice Asatru or another neo-Pagan faith based on Nordic or Germanic old paganism (like me).
As a follower of a Norse-influenced spiritual path, it's a pain in the butt when people are using your symbols to do something stupid like this, and everyone goes "Ohhhhh, it's those Nazis... those Odin/Wotan worshippers! They're hateful!"
Nazis are hateful. Odin (or Wotan) is the ALL-Father. Meaning that he wouldn't have much of a preference for race, now, would he? "
I'm not a Nazi, AT ALL, but I recognize something similar to these runes (not that similar, really), and it's used by all sorts of people who either A) just happen to like runes or B) practice Asatru or another neo-Pagan faith based on Nordic or Germanic old paganism (like me).
As a follower of a Norse-influenced spiritual path, it's a pain in the butt when people are using your symbols to do something stupid like this, and everyone goes "Ohhhhh, it's those Nazis... those Odin/Wotan worshippers! They're hateful!"
Nazis are hateful. Odin (or Wotan) is the ALL-Father. Meaning that he wouldn't have much of a preference for race, now, would he? "
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Eileen Coles wrote on May 23, 2009 12:15 PM:
Whoever put up this graffiti knows nothing about the runes. They are using a Wunjo/inverted Laguz bindrune for an E instead of Ehwaz, inverting Laguz to look more like an L and Uruz to look more like a U. There are Anglo Saxon runes present and a "D" which appears in no Germanic or Scandinavian alphabet whatsoever. "D" in these alphabets is represented by the Dagaz rune which is not present.
The spelling indicates a person who wanted English and/or German speaking people to recognize what was written as "Triumph of the Will" or "Triumph Des Willens", but in the runic alphabet it's actually complete nonsense, it actually says "TRIHA ?WLS EAILLWLIYS".
Basically some cluetard, and I do mean CLUETARD, just wanted to scare people.
Racism is for the weak, it is based on fear and lies. No real Asatruar ascribes to white supremacism and Hitler has nothing to do with our faith. Don't be frightened by these idiots who steal our holy symbols which they know nothing about. "