Danielle Elizabeth Auctions slammed for ‘beyond sickening’ sale of Nazi memorabilia

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Danielle Elizabeth Auctions slammed for ‘beyond sickening’ sale of Nazi memorabilia

May 27, 2022

Nazi memorabilia is set to go under the hammer at a Gold Coast auction house just days after the Queensland government announced plans to ban the Nazi swastika.

Six lots of Nazi items are being sold by Danielle Elizabeth Auctions on Saturday from a collector’s estate, attracting outrage from the Jewish community.

The Nazi memorabilia up for auction includes various badges, an Adolf Hitler support clip, a Luftwaffe general’s set of rank boards and collar tabs, and a general’s cockade and wreath.

Some of the descriptions under the items include “these sure look good and original”, “Nazi militaria collectibles folks!” and “these are very impressive and in pretty good condition”.

Danielle Elizabeth has continually come under fire for selling Nazi items, including as recently as last month.

Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said no one should profit from the proceeds of crime.

“This profiteering from the proceeds of history’s darkest crime is beyond sickening,” Dr Abramovich said in a statement to NCA NewsWire.

“If Danielle Elizabeth took the time to think about the 1.5 million children murdered by the Nazis, perhaps they would twice about trafficking in these instruments of death.”

Dr Abramovich went on to condemn the sale of these items and those who bought them.

“Imagine the anguish Holocaust survivors must be feeling right now. Anyone offering these cursed, bloodstained items is desecrating the memory of the victims and should be ashamed,” he said.

“The Holocaust is over, but the dangerous ideology and culture that fuelled the extermination of millions endure in today’s Australia. These objects may end up in the hands of Third Reich worshippers who will proudly display them in their homes and use them to recruit new members to their dangerous cause.”

When contacted for comment, Dustin Sweeny of Danielle Elizabeth said as an auction house they were employed to clear deceased estates.

“These WWII military artefacts are not illegal, they have a market value and the families of these estates want everything turned into cash for them,” he said.

Mr Sweeney claimed he had received death threats because of the auctions.

“The first time we had it I received 136 death threats and had to disconnect our phone for three days,” Mr Sweeney said.

“I tell them this: If they want to stop the world trading in this militaria then they need to change legislation, not bash small business.”

But Dr Abramovich rejected those claims as baseless and said there’s no indication the threats came from the Jewish community.

The Queensland government announced on Thursday that it will introduce legislation to parliament later this year to make the public display of the Nazi swastika and other hate symbols a criminal offence.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was about sending a clear message that Nazism was “evil”.

“Nazism is evil. Evil triumphs when good people do nothing. We will not do nothing and allow this evil to grow,” she said.

“To those who promote these symbols of hate I say this, your community condemns you and your days of spreading ignorance and hate are over.”

Dr Abramovich admitted to shedding “tears of joy” following Thursday’s announcement after five years of campaigning nationwide.

“This announcement is a resounding triumph for the victims of the Holocaust, the survivors and our brave Diggers who died to vanquish the evil Third Reich regime and a defeat of homegrown neo-Nazis who seek to keep Hitler’s legacy alive,” he said.

But he now wants the government to take strong action against Saturday’s auction.

“We call on the Queensland government to de-Nazify the marketplace and criminalise the sale of this memorabilia to stamp out this grotesque and sinister practice,” Dr Abramovich said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/bre...ee94805c0b1449