nazi gnomes

[Amby 490]

An artist has caused controversy in Germany by staging an exhibition of garden gnomes giving Nazi salutes.

Ottmar Horl has crafted 1,250 of the plastic dwarfs and will parade them in military formation in Straubing, Bavaria, the heartland of Hitler's war-time support.

Horl, 49, says the display shows the "symptoms of a political disease".

He managed to get around strict anti-Nazi legislation in Germany by saying the gnomes are a satire on Hitler.

However, locals have dubbed the models the devil's dwarves.

Garden gnomes remain a firm favourites in Germany despite falling out of fashion in Britain. Experts estimate the gnome population is at 25 million.

But there is a growing trend towards gnomes who make obscene gestures, commit suicide or engage in sexual activity, and courts have ordered figures to be removed if they offend neighbours.

http://www.ananova.com/News/story/sm_3520657.html

[The_Dude 1,142]

This genuinely made me say "#######?"

[almaty 19]

terrible and just wrong

[alienlovechild 75]

Swastika carved into green at Lakeville golf course

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO126794/

Those gnomes know no boundaries but they're good for alliteration.

[Peikko 1,575]

[scandal 951]

That's funny?

[The_Dude 1,142]

That's funny?

Lol, the dumbas$ skinheads couldn't even make a proper swastika. In the pic in the article, it shows that they made it backwards

[scandal 951]

That's funny?

Lol, the dumbas$ skinheads couldn't even make a proper swastika. In the pic in the article, it shows that they made it backwards

Chuckle. Chuckle.

[The_Dude 1,142]

That's funny?

Lol, the dumbas$ skinheads couldn't even make a proper swastika. In the pic in the article, it shows that they made it backwards

Chuckle. Chuckle.

Well, the dumbass skinheads were funny, but the nazi gnomes is for lack of a better word, disturbing. Seems like a struggling artist running around with a big sign saying "Look at me, i'm shocking".

[Chica Yeyé 41]

1. Gnomes are f-ugly, no matter the outfit.

2. Not funny.

[Nessa 23]

terrible and just wrong

ditto

[Chris_Жанна 11]

Almost as fascist as pink flamingos, and lawn jockeys.

[Peikko 1,575]

but there is a growing trend towards gnomes who make obscene gestures, commit suicide or engage in sexual activity, and courts have ordered figures to be removed if they offend neighbours.

Not all humour is vanilla. I don't know gnome guy but as he did get around the strict German laws I would suspect he did so not just on a technicality but because he was able to demonstrate some kind of artistic integrity and a validity for the satire. The gnome isn't exactly something one aspires to at the best of times, gnomes are frequently the subject of ridicule which is the way I see it. Gold Nazi gnomes, very inspirational to extremists. So yes, I do think it's funny.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I guess it's easy to say that when you have no vested interest in it. Perhaps if you were Jewish, your reaction would be different. Oh well.

[Peikko 1,575]

Perhaps it would, perhaps it wouldn't My point is this is not a glorification of nazism, quite the opposite in fact. How you can possibly interpret this as in any way a positive view of fascism is totally beyond me. Perhaps we should ban that episode of Fautly Towers because Basil emulates Hitler while we are at it? Would that make you feel better?

Edited October 13, 2009 by Madame Cleo