this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2025
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[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Uhuh. So what is the non-Nazi context for the Totenkopf; a symbol that, unlike the swastika, doesn't have a pre-existing history.

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yes, the prevalence of Nazi imagery by Ukrainian paramilitary organisations is pretty awkward

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Extra fun when in item linked to prove the nazi symbol has other meanings.

Is also extremely sad how people are now trying to argue it's the word people have issues with not you know, the very very specific symbols used by the SS that just happened to be on candidates body that also usa military was fine ignoring

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 0 points 3 days ago

Liberals are working hard to rehabilitate Nazis.

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 days ago

obviously just to be used as a hatchet job on the Blackwater merc

[–] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social 1 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I love how your reasoning for the specific SS symbol is just linking to the German word wiki page for just skull

[–] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social -1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

This article is about the military symbol. For other uses...

Edit: Wait, I linked to English Wikipedia. Is this Chewbacca defense? I think this is Chewbacca defense.

[–] Aatube@kbin.melroy.org 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

he’s saying that Totenkopf is a German word and you linked to the Wikipedia article for this German word, not that you linked to the German Wikipedia

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 3 days ago

That and they don't put any effort into understanding why people have issues with said specific symbol not the word death skull

[–] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social -2 points 3 days ago

Oh! In that case:

This article is about the military symbol. For other uses...

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 3 days ago

Oh in that case

In the early days of the Nazi Party, Julius Schreck, the leader of the Stabswache (Adolf Hitler's bodyguard unit), resurrected the use of the Totenkopf as the unit's insignia. This unit grew into the Schutzstaffel (SS), which continued to use the Totenkopf as insignia throughout its history. According to a writing by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the Totenkopf had the following meaning:

The Skull is the reminder that you shall always be willing to put your self at stake for the life of the whole community.[11]

SS-Totenkopfverbände ('Death's Head Units') was the Schutzstaffel (SS) organization responsible for administering the Nazi concentration camps and extermination camps for Nazi Germany, among similar duties. While the Totenkopf was the universal cap badge of the SS, the SS-TV also wore this insignia on the right collar tab to distinguish itself from other SS formations.

The Totenkopf was also used as the unit insignia of the Panzer forces of the German Heer (Army), and also by the Panzer units of the Luftwaffe, including those of the elite Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring.[12]

Both the 3rd SS Panzer Division of the Waffen-SS, and the World War II era Luftwaffe's 54th Bomber Wing Kampfgeschwader 54 were given the unit name "Totenkopf", and used a strikingly similar-looking graphic skull-crossbones insignia as the SS units of the same name. The 3rd SS Panzer Division also had skull patches on their uniform collars instead of the SS sieg rune.[citation needed]

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That doesn't really answer my question

[–] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social -2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In what fucking sense does it not answer your question lmao

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 days ago

In that I asked a question, and just linking the Wikipedia page didn't answer it

[–] Asidonhopo@lemmy.world -1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Usage of it dates back to the 1700s

[–] goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 days ago

The word and different variations of deaths head yes. The very specific one used by the SS and nazis does not