Swastika-Wearing 'Soldier' in Wimpy Says Sorry
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He just didn’t think,” and confirmed he was part of the simulated re- For Jews in particular, this kind of behaviour seen enjoying breakfast at a Wimpy Heunis said. enactment … the customer realises it was poor was threatening and deeply hurtful. “However, eatery in the Free State wearing a World Heunis said members of the organisation had judgement to wear the re-enactment costume most South Africans would likewise be viscerally TWar II German soldier’s uniform with a swastika been briefed not to wear uniforms in public or in a public area. He has subsequently apologised offended by it, as indeed the widespread armband has apologised for his actions. post pictures on social media. for the unintended offense this has caused.” backlash to the Wimpy incident showed. This The Bloemfontein resident in his late 70s SAAACA aims to promote the collection, Said Cronje, “He wasn’t thinking. He is an old might not have been the intention of the person – who has asked not to be named for fear responsible, but acting the way he of reprisal – walked into the Wimpy in the The swastika-wearing ‘soldier’ at Wimpy (inset) shortly did without recognising the offense Fleurdal Mall in Bloemfontein last Saturday, before the re-enactment of Operation Bagration (main picture) he was likely to cause was highly and ordered breakfast, thinking nothing of it. insensitive, or at best thoroughly No one said a word to him. obtuse.” Unbeknown to him, horrified patron Kanya Cronje said Wimpy staff didn’t say Mofokeng made a video of him, and posted it anything to the patron, assuming he on Twitter. It immediately went viral, with a was part of the annual event. broad spectrum of South Africans expressing “They didn’t think twice when he shock and disgust. walked in because they knew the “Unavoidably, this comes across as a event was taking place that day,” he public display of identification with Nazism, said. an ideology inextricably associated with Anti-Semitism expert Professor genocidal anti-Semitism as well as with Milton Shain said this was not extreme white racism,” said David Saks, the the first time an incident like this associate director of the South African Jewish had occurred. In most cases, those Board of Deputies (SAJBD). involved had apologised. Hearing about the furore, Famous Brands, In this case, Shain said the man was which owns the Wimpy brand, said it took “probably oblivious to the impact of matters of this nature seriously, and would his actions”, pointing out that it was review the incident. important that he had apologised, and It turns out that the man was going to it was good that his behaviour had attend a historical re-enactment at a farm caused a stir on social media. nearby, which was commemorating the 75th Richard Freedman, the director anniversary of a famous battle known as of the South African Holocaust and Operation Bagration. Genocide Foundation, said the man The event was organised by the Bloemfontein study, restoration, preservation, and fellow, and it didn’t cross his mind. He didn’t acted “stupidly”, but he cautioned against branch of the Southern Africa Arms and responsible, recreational use of collectible arms mean any harm. He apologised profusely for condemning him. Ammunition Collector’s Association and ammunition, according to its website. causing any harm or upset”. “Is it offensive? Yes. Is it deliberately (SAAACA). It is an annual event held locally, Branches throughout the country host battle The open-day event for families is a widely offensive? No. The man was completely commemorating different battles throughout re-enactments. publicised affair. It received a full-page spread in unaware that he was doing anything history, and takes place at Leeuwberg Farm, Historical records show that the Soviet army’s the Volksblad this week. shocking. We must be careful not to condemn about 15km south of Bloemfontein. Operation Bagration offensive in June 1944 A flyer says, “See the Germans and Russians him. It was stupid and insensitive of him, This year, a Nazi flag and a Soviet Union all but destroyed Nazi Germany’s army, and battle one another and enjoy a nostalgic day but he was oblivious to the offence. He is wartime flag were hoisted as a sign that the drove hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops of living history, military displays, historic a foolish old man who wore a uniform to a battle lines had been drawn. Aghast, Mofokeng and tanks from Minsk into the Third Reich. vehicles, militaria and food stalls, beer hall, and re-enactment, and popped into the Wimpy also posted video footage of the flags, which Historians say it was arguably the greatest an authentic battle re-enactment.” because he was feeling peckish.” drew more ire on social media. disaster for Germany in World War II, three The SAJBD said it was acceptable to display Freedman said the man was not trying Following widespread criticism for his years after Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Nazi symbols in certain contexts. to insult Jews and make a mockery of insensitive behaviour, the man told the Union, resulting in more than “No-one can seriously object to their inclusion the Holocaust. “This was not a deliberate, organiser of the event and Wimpy management 400 000 German casualties. in museum displays or to their reproduction inciteful act.” that he “did not mean any harm, and was not Wimpy’s marketing executive, Jacques in books or documentaries,” Saks said. “The Both he and Saks said it was the thinking”. Cronje, told the SA Jewish Report that the man same must surely apply to the activities [such responsibility of the organisers of historical The chairperson of SAAACA Bloemfontein, “had no idea his actions would create such an as historical re-enactments and memorabilia re-enactments to ensure that participants are MC Heunis, told the SA Jewish Report the man outcry on social media. He didn’t even know collecting] of bona-fide military history aware of the sensitivities involved, and act “did not mean to offend or hurt anyone, and what Twitter was.” enthusiasts.” appropriately. • Brief • Wo in rld 2 SA JEWISH REPORT s N 28 June – 5 July 2019 w e e w N d s l i r n o Jewish Congress scheduled to open in Tokyo in the fall. B W Israel halts fuel to Gaza r i • e Appliance Repairs on Site f • and Argentina’s Nintendo products were only recently • f e • , i s r er Israel has halted the transfer of fuel into W government. introduced to the Israeli market. 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One pointed the finger at Tehran, implicating George Rosenkranz, a chemist who FREE QUOTATIONS of the incendiary balloons landed on a several former Iranian officials and synthesised the key ingredient in the birth kindergarten building, according to reports, Hezbollah in the AMIA attack, and also in control pill, has died. but did not cause any injuries. the 17 March 1992 terrorist attack on the Rosenkranz, a Hungary native who Eight fires were ignited over two hours Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires that killed immigrated to Cuba to escape the Nazis, on Tuesday afternoon alone in the wake of 29, and injured more than 200. died on Sunday at his home in Atherton, the announcement, Ynet reported. California, at the age of 102. The fuel is used to power Gaza’s only He and two Jewish chemists, Carl electric plant. In recent weeks, in response Call for recognition of ME Djerassi, a refugee from Austria, and Luis to the arson balloons, Israel has also placed pogroms Miramontes, synthesised the progesterone restrictions on the Gazan fishing zone. that was to be used in one of the first two A British legislator has called on the combined oral contraceptive pills. government to recognise the plight of Jews Norethindrone, which the three chemists UN plans conference of forced to flee their homes in Arab countries developed in 1951, at first was used as a terror victims in the 20th century.