Making Fun Of Germans

[Babylon]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13492143,00.html

A row is brewing after a Dutch company came up with a novel way to boost support for the Netherlands during this summer's World Cup finals.

Free Time Products is selling replica Nazi helmets bearing pro-Dutch slogans, and is encouraging fans to wear them to matches.

The orange plastic helmets have small Dutch flags printed on the side and bear slogans such as "Attack!" and "Go, Netherlands Go".

There is still resentment over the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II.

On a football level, the two clubs have had many notable clashes, with West Germany beating the Dutch in the World Cup Final in 1974.

Frank Huizinga of the Dutch Football Association was not amused by the helmets.

"We reject every link between soccer and the war," he said. "There are so many ways you can make a joke, but this is too obvious to be funny, it shows no creativity at all.

"This is clearly not in the spirit of a football tournament."

Weno Geerts, director of Free Time Products, countered: "There's no political message here. It's just a joke.

"We're making fun of Germans, just like they like to make fun of us."

Watch out Holland Ultra will be on the phone.

[Craig]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13492143,00.html

A row is brewing after a Dutch company came up with a novel way to boost support for the Netherlands during this summer's World Cup finals.

Free Time Products is selling replica Nazi helmets bearing pro-Dutch slogans, and is encouraging fans to wear them to matches.

The orange plastic helmets have small Dutch flags printed on the side and bear slogans such as "Attack!" and "Go, Netherlands Go".

There is still resentment over the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II.

On a football level, the two clubs have had many notable clashes, with West Germany beating the Dutch in the World Cup Final in 1974.

Frank Huizinga of the Dutch Football Association was not amused by the helmets.

"We reject every link between soccer and the war," he said. "There are so many ways you can make a joke, but this is too obvious to be funny, it shows no creativity at all.

"This is clearly not in the spirit of a football tournament."

Weno Geerts, director of Free Time Products, countered: "There's no political message here. It's just a joke.

"We're making fun of Germans, just like they like to make fun of us."

Watch out Holland Ultra will be on the phone.

Racist twats.

[MC Prussian]

I've heard of similar occurrences in the U.K., to be honest.

But luckily, it's always been a minority who just can't see beyond their own boarders.

[Babylon]

I've heard of similar occurrences in the U.K., to be honest.

But luckily, it's always been a minority who just can't see beyond their own boarders.

What I was going to say was could you imagine the English doing it, we'd get booted out of the world cup.

[Rincewind]

I suppose it depends if anyone complains. If it was the English doing it some English would object before the Germans. We British are always quick to attack this kind of thing and at the same time many also use the much used phrase 'I don't agree with what they are doing but..........'

[Polyphonic]

I never agree with anything like this, its just a very poor racist slur against the Germans, design to provoke trouble at the world cup. Very sad really

[Willis]

Very poor indeed. Could do without all this crap

[Jordan]

It's not even remotely funny.

Many Chinese are still very bitter over the Japanese occupation of large parts of their country before and during WWII--do you think they would have worn mock Japanese military hats during the 2002 World Cup? There are several other examples of similar situations and in each case anybody with half a brain wouldn't wear something so stupid.