It comes with the requisite disclaimer that it's a traditional symbol of Finnish culture.
They wouldn't dare offend anyone.
It's just some people might, you know, be offended by this.
Want a present that will raise some eyebrows -- or maybe hackles -- this Christmas? A Finnish charity is selling rings engraved with a swastika to raise money for the country's 80,000 World War II veterans.
The €60 ($86) silver bands feature a swastika flanked by stylized wings. A small rosette sits in the center. The rings are on sale until Dec. 31 at R-Kioski supermarkets in Finland and online. Sixteen thousand have been sold so far. "We thought they would make great Christmas presents for men, or for young people if their grandparents fought in the war," says Finnish Veterans' Association (Sotiemme Veteraanit) head Pia Mikkonen.
The rings are replicas of the 1940 "Air Defence" ring, which was part of a wartime effort to raise money for the Finnish air force. The campaign encouraged Finns to donate their gold wedding bands and other valuables to support the war effort. In exchange they received a ring made of iron. The swastika is a traditional symbol in Finnish culture, and a blue swastika was used as the symbol of the Finnish Air Force between 1918 and 1945.
No comments:
Post a Comment