History Main / NoSwastikas

* Creator/MichiyoAkaishi's ''Manga/HonooNoAlpenRose'', which happens in pre-UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Switzerland and Austria, ''averts'' this trope since {{Amnesiac Hero}}ine Jeudi sees swastikas several times when she's in Austria [[spoiler:while she searches for her soon-to-be ally Leonhart]]. In fact, one of these turns out to ''vital'' to the plot: Jeudi panics when she sees a "black cross" and runs down a flight of stairs [[spoiler:which triggers one of her lost childhood memories, one that has her father (a member of [[LaResistance an anti-Nazi Austria group]]) pulling her away as they try to leave the country, which will lead to their separation.]]

* ''Series/Supergirl'' features the character of Overgirl, Kara's counterpart from an alternate earth where her pod crashed in a Nazi conquered America. Although she wears the "Sun Rune" symbol (the double lightning bolts) on her chest she has no Swastika's on her outfit as the producers were wary of creating a pin-up girl for political extremists, Alice Kiss, a popular Supergirl cosplayer taking part in the far-right Charlottesville riots shortly before the character was introduced.

However, practically no one in English-speaking cultures knows this. Thus this trope, which often leads to censorship of swastikas in contexts that have ''nothing to do'' with the Nazis. Not only were the Nazis, well, Nazis, they were also [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking plagiarists]] (unless they were [[StupidJetpackHitler time travelers]]). When people in English-speaking countries hear that there are No Swastikas because of German censorship, this may lead to UnfortunateImplications, as it is tempting to conclude that [[EntertaininglyWrong "the Germans are trying to push revisionist history and pretend the Nazis were never in power!"]]; and it's not only them, even modern Germans may offer this suggestion as the reason for excessive No Swastikas trope use. The official explanation is, of course, the absolute non-endorsement of the symbol, which even got a politician in trouble when she used the symbol in a context of anti-Nazism (to elaborate, a fist crushing it), but for this kind of use, the symbol is alright after the German equivalent of the Supreme Court changed things for such cases. (For the record, conspiracy theories denying UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust is also illegal in Germany.)

* Russian Internet users have a particularily ironic way of censoring the swastika: they replace it with the [[http://shipachev.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/roskomnadzor.png emblem of Roskomnadzor]], Russia's CensorshipBureau. This way, it can mean both "this symbol was banned because of Roskomnadzor regulations", or "that's what Roskomnadzor really is".

Technically, the relevant law in Germany prohibits "anti-constitutional" symbols (movements openly seeking the overthrow of Germany's democratic system), not just far-right ones. The UsefulNotes/{{West German|y}} government initially deemed the flag of UsefulNotes/EastGermany to be a criminal symbol and outlawed it, before lifting the ban in 1969 with the normalization of relations with their East German counterparts. To this day, the flag of the former Communist Party of Germany (KPD) is banned, although the hammer and sickle is not. Many countries have similar bans on the display of "totalitarian symbols" — Hungary, for instance, bans the display of the symbols of the Nazis, the Soviets, and the Arrow Cross Party. Lithuania has passed a similar law recently — [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7459976.stm also extending it to Soviet symbols]]. And Latvia was warned in 2006 not to put swastikas — an ancient propitious symbol for them, too — [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_use_of_the_Swastika_in_the_early_20th_century#Latvia on gifts intended for NATO ambassadors]]. After all, the Germans wouldn't have been able to take them back home...

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfTanks'', the flag for Germany tanks in the garage is a red flag with black stripes, however the swastika is replaced by the Iron Cross. The game comes from Belarus, where swastikas are also very taboo. The German tank line also includes a few post-WW2 tanks, where swastikas would be completely inappropriate to begin with.

** But don't try selling them on Website/EBay as they will remove the sale as [[http://www.techdigest.tv/2009/01/ebay_nutcase_of.html "eBay does not allow listings or items that promote or glorify hatred, violence or racial intolerance, or items that promote organizations with such views."]]

* Following a white supremacist terrorist attack in Charleston, South Carolina, numerous retailers such as Website/EBay and the Apple App Store halted the sale of items depicting [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Confederate States of America]] battle flag, including historical works. The Apple store [[DoubleStandard still sells apps with swastikas]] and other unpleasant regimes' iconography.

* The ''Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular'' show at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disney's Hollywood Studios]], unlike the movie it reenacts scenes from, censors all traces of swastikas with a simple black cross.

* The ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "The Savage Time" set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII did exactly this, but justified it; Vandal Savage had used TimeTravel to hijack the Nazi war effort, and they used his symbols instead. Savage's later appearance in "Maid of Honor" had no problem referring to him as a "Nazi war criminal". Worth noting, though, that the insignia he uses is the SS insignia (half of it, at least), Hitler's elite guard and it actually makes sense in the context of the story: An ancient symbol that arose individually in almost every basket-weaving culture and which just happened to be used in the flag of a fascist nation? BAD! A symbol for a group of soldiers from said nation who were primarily responsible for the Holocaust? A-OK!
** More specifically, the Sowilo rune was used, which was a common Nazi symbol (as its German meaning, "sigel", was a symbol of victory).

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode ''The Passion of the Jew'', Cartman starts a Nazi-like group disguised as simply a "Creator/MelGibson fan club" to eliminate Jews. The group includes all sorts of Nazi paraphernalia, such as uniforms and flags, with the Swastika omitted. Of course, ''South Park'' [[CrossesTheLineTwice has no problem with offending people]], and indeed had used swastikas before [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pinkeye_5.png when Cartman dressed as Hitler]], so the lack of the swastika was probably to make the group's real intentions less obvious to the people in the show.
** Although considering the obviousness of Cartman's outfit, marches, and chanting in "Aramaic", [[AdultsAreUseless one wonders if they'd have noticed]].

** A [[http://www.rome.ro/lee_killough/memorabilia/swastika.shtml map area]] in the original ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' was originally a swastika as a homage to ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D'' -- this was changed in v1.4.

[[folder:Film]]

* A Hitler-expy escapes Hell with the rest of the dead in ''Anime/DragonBallZFusionReborn''. His flag has an X similar to a Tomanian flag from ''Film/TheGreatDictator'' instead of a swastika.

* ''Series/Supergirl'' features the character of Overgirl, Kara's counterpart from an alternate earth where her pod crashed in a Nazi conquered America. Although she wears the "Sun Rune" symbol (the double lightning bolts) on her chest she has no Swastika's on her outfit as the producers were wary of creating a pin-up girl for political extremists, Alice Kiss, a popular Supergirl cosplayer taking part in far-right Charlottesville riots shortly before the character was introduced.

* ''Series/Supergirl'' features the character of Overgirl, Kara's counterpart from an alternate earth where her pod crashed in a Nazi conquered America. Although she wears the "Sun Rune" symbol (the double lightning bolts) on her chest she has no Swastika's on her outfit as the producers were wary of creating a pin-up girl for political extremists, Alice Kiss, a popular Supergirl cosplayer taking part in far-right Charlottesville riots.

However, practically no one in English-speaking cultures knows this. Thus this trope, which often leads to censorship of swastikas in contexts that have ''nothing to do'' with the Nazis. Not only were the Nazis, well, Nazis, they were also [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking plagiarists]] (unless they were [[StupidJetpackHitler time travelers]]). When people in English-speaking countries hear that there are No Swastikas because of German censorship, this may lead to UnfortunateImplications, as it is tempting to conclude that [[EntertaininglyWrong "the Germans are trying to push revisionist history and pretend the Nazis were never in power!"]]; and it's not only them, even modern Germans may offer this suggestion as the reason for excessive No Swastikas trope use. The official explanation is, of course, the absolute non-endorsement of the symbol, which even got a politician in trouble when she used the symbol in a context of anti-Nazism (to elaborate, a fist crushing it), but for this kind of use, the symbol is alright after the German equivalent of the Supreme Court changed things for such cases. (For the record, [[UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories denying]] UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust is also illegal in Germany.)

* ''Literature/AndrewDoran'': The original covers for ''The Statement of Andrew Doran'' and ''Andrew Doran at the Mountains of Madness'' had these since, well, Andrew fights Nazis in WW2. The revised version removed these out of sensitivity according to WordOfGod.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' set in London in 1940, we don't see any Nazi imagery or hear any details about what they do apart from the fact that Griff is passionate about helping to stop them. The episode manages to avoid succumbing entirely, as the characters do openly use the ''word'' "Nazis".

*** The Unity engine port restores the original textures and level names, but replaces swastikas with the alternate triangular-shaped symbol seen in the newer ''Wolfenstein'' games, changes Hitler's face to not have a moustache (essentially turning him into the Staatmeister from teh [=SNES=] ''Wolfenstein'') and redubs the SS enemies to say "Schutzkämpfer!" instead of "Schutzstaffel!".

There's a simple reason for this -- in Germany, Russia, and some other countries, the display of anything Nazi-related in public is prohibited unless it's for educational, artistic, or scientific purposes, plus a lot of other contexts. This allows for the use of these symbols in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII–set films (which are considered art -- yes, even ''Franchise/IndianaJones''). However, toys and games were not usually covered by these exceptions (at least in Germany) until August 2018, when the German video game rating bureau USK decided to allow swastikas in video games on a case-by-case basis provided they were "socially adequate", meaning they have to serve an artistic purpose (such as in ''VideoGame/WolfensteinIITheNewColossus'') or be used to represent historical events. Also, neo-Fascist groups have been [[ANaziByAnyOtherName known to appropriate various other symbols for their own ends]].

It is odd that video games do this, as [[AmericansHateTingle Germany is a relatively poor market for war-based games to begin with]], especially compared to the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The only markets that prefer niche Japanese games at all times (like Japan and France) and places where the video game market is small. That being said, really mainstream FPS titles (like ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'') do fare well and still sell in the millions.

The German video game market is also only the biggest market for simulator titles and city building games. These are all genres where a swastika has no real reason to appear or exist besides for [[BlackComedy humorous purposes]]. So most of what makes Germany's thriving video game scene has almost no real reason to use UsefulNotes/WorldWarII symbolism.

Use of the associated expressions, such as "Sieg Heil!", are also [[BannedInChina banned]]. German Neo-Nazi groups choose to use symbols of UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany instead, which highly annoys German monarchist groups. Technically, the relevant law in Germany prohibits "anti-constitutional" symbols (movements openly seeking the overthrow of Germany's democratic system), not just far-right ones. The UsefulNotes/{{West German|y}} government initially deemed the flag of UsefulNotes/EastGermany to be a criminal symbol and outlawed it, before lifting the ban in 1969 with the normalization of relations with their East German counterparts. To this day, the flag of the former Communist Party of Germany (KPD) is banned, although the hammer and sickle is not.

That said, the older tradition about Buddhist and Hinduist swastikas, used as a protective symbol, can sometimes be found in supernatural series like ''Series/KolchakTheNightStalker'' and ''Series/TheXFiles''.

There was even a real life instance during the Rape of Nanjing when the German businessman (he worked for Siemens, and was also a Nazi Party Member) John Rabe [[PetTheDog set up a protected area for refugees from the Japanese terror]] under the German flag, with its big swastika. Thus, for thousands of Chinese, even the Nazi swastika returned to its Hindu meaning.

Many countries have similar bans on the display of "totalitarian symbols" — Hungary, for instance, bans the display of the symbols of the Nazis, the Soviets, and the Arrow Cross Party. Lithuania has passed a similar law recently — [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7459976.stm also extending it to Soviet symbols]]. And Latvia was warned in 2006 not to put swastikas — an ancient propitious symbol for them, too — [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_use_of_the_Swastika_in_the_early_20th_century#Latvia on gifts intended for NATO ambassadors]]. After all, the Germans wouldn't have been able to take them back home...

** It is also played straight in ''VideoGame/BattlefieldHeroes'' -- it features the Royal and National Armies, modeled off the Allies and Axis respectively. However, they are stated ''not'' to be that -- they are armies fighting over, amusingly enough, Olympic cycling results. As such, despite the obviously UsefulNotes/WorldWarII setting, there are no swastikas. There are instead black skulls-and-crossbones.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'':

** In ''VideoGame/DoomII'', the two secret levels are absent in the German version, as they are literally updated ports of two ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D'' levels (see below), swastika-banners and all.
*** However, Doom Classic Complete (as can be downloaded on the [=PS3=]) and the BFG Edition (available multiplatform) include the two secret levels, but with some major changes: Everything reminiscent of Wolfenstein 3D has been [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1snCRIl16ks completely purged]], all enemies have been replaced with standard Doom II opponents, and the levels themselves have been renamed ("Wolfenstein" to "[[ClassicCheatCode IDKFA]]" and "Grosse" to "[[VideoGame/CommanderKeen Keen]]"). The only thing that remains is the layout of both levels. No Swastikas nor Hitler portraits, the SS guards are replaced by zombiemen squads, and the unique map music themes have been replaced by the theme of [=MAP05=] for both maps
*** The GBA version of ''VideoGame/DoomII'' also censors the two secret levels but in a much tamer way, replacing Swastikas and images of Hitler with imagery from Return to Castle Wolfenstein (such as the Hitler portrait now being series BigBad Deathshead). The SS Guards were untouched, German dialogue and all.
*** The Unity engine port of ''Doom II'' restores the original textures and level names, but replaces swastikas with the alternate triangular-shaped symbol seen in the newer ''Wolfenstein'' games, changes Hitler's face to not have a moustache (essentially turning him into the Staatmeister from teh [=SNES=] ''Wolfenstein'') and redubs the SS enemies to say "Schutzkämpfer!" instead of "Schutzstaffel!".

* During the filming of the fifth ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' film, a sequence set on a Nazi train was filmed on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway [[CaliforniaDoubling in England]]. As trainspotters noted, when the train was being moved around while not being filmed the swastikas on the train's exterior were covered up.

* ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtrairdinaryGentlemen'' is a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover where Adenoid Hynkel from ''Film/TheGreatDictator'' exists in place of Hitler. Here the fictional Tomainia's "Double Cross" flag is used in place of a swastika.

-->-- '''Scott Sharkey''', "[[http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3138296 Memoirs of an Urban Vigilante]]"

* In the manga series ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Neji Hyūga has a seal with a swastika on his forehead. In the anime version, the mark was changed to [[http://gallery.minitokyo.net/view/363307 resemble a simple "X"]]. This is also the case with [[spoiler: Hizashi Hyuga, resurrected by Kabuto's Edo Tensei spell.]] While the monthly releases of the English manga have the swastikas replaced with x's, the symbols are retained in the volume releases.

** The Quincies have always had extremely strong Teutonic Knight themes. When they modernise, their Teutonic Knight themes morph into Nazi themes that also possess very heavy UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany overtones. This creates a military uniform that is extremely similar to the Nazi uniform and an organisational hierarchy that is inspired more by the German Empire than Nazi Germany. The new Quincy Cross is influenced by the Iron Cross, not the swastika. So far, despite the Nazi themes of the Vandenreich, the swastika itself has barely been associated with them and predominantly remains Ichigo's symbol. [[spoiler: Ichigo is later revealed to be half-Quincy via his mother and his power, which manifested the Swastika symbol, was actually his Quincy power masquerading as Shinigami power. When his true Shinigami power and Quincy power are properly balanced, the Swastika disappears.]]

* In ''Anime/{{K}}'', when there are flashbacks to the trio of scientists in Dresden in 1944-45 who found the power-giving Slates, no historical names of people or groups are mentioned (although they do their work in a real location), and although the German siblings wear red armbands, there is no insignia shown on them at all. The brother who survives the bombing ends up [[spoiler: being [[AmnesiacHero memory-wiped]] and [[BodySnatcher body-swapped]] into the ''main character'']], so it would be particularly troublesome to have pictures of him wearing them. For the record, he probably [[WideEyedIdealist wasn't too aware]] of what was going on around him, and what his superiors would have done with his magic device had he completed his work on it for them.
* Creator/MichiyoAkaishi's ''Manga/HonooNoAlpenRose'', which happens in pre-UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Switzerland and Austria, ''averts'' this trope since {{Amnesiac Hero}}ine Jeudi sees swastikas several times when she's in Austria [[spoiler: while she searches for her soon-to-be ally Leonhart]]. In fact, one of these turns out to ''vital'' to the plot: Jeudi panics when she sees a "black cross" and runs down a flight of stairs [[spoiler: which triggers one of her lost childhood memories, one that has her father (a member of [[LaResistance an anti-Nazi Austria group]]) pulling her away as they try to leave the country, which will lead to their separation.]]

* A roundabout version of this happened in ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic''. Swastikas themselves do appear in occasional storylines, but LEGO does not make a Hitler figurine. So the author made him a BrainInAJar. ''Before'' World War II. [[spoiler: And later he's represented by the author himself when Hitler's brain is put in his body.]]
* This strangely happens with the ''[[https://darkkomet.deviantart.com/art/Slayed-683540314 Slayed]]'' and ''[[https://darkkomet.deviantart.com/art/Slayed-The-Lost-Chapter-690923629 Slayed: The Lost Chapter]]'', where the swastika is replaced with a stylized letter [[https://darkkomet.deviantart.com/art/Slayed-The-Lost-Chapter-Episode-0-690931437 N]], but still features Hitler and the term Nazi.

** In Germany, Neo-Nazis instead resort to symbols of Imperial Germany (since the Third Reich is legally off-limits, they use the symbols of the Second Reich instead), which [[JustForPun royally pisses off German Monarchists]]. Also used (mostly for greeting) is the number 88. It corresponds to the letters HH (for "Heil Hitler").