After Scotland remembers Holocaust victim Jane Haining, it should now ban the swastika
Joe Goldblatt once returned to his desk to find a swastika and an anti-semitic rant. Here, he argues we need to outlaw such hateful symbols and make a new one of peace and friendship
On Monday, the City of Edinburgh unveiled its first ever Solperstein – German for “stumbling block” – a memorial plaque to be displayed in honour of the Church of Scotland missionary teacher Jane Haining. She was murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz-Birkenau on July 17, 1944, for simply protecting the lives of 200 Jewish children in Hungary.
Ironically, as we gathered together as peaceful citizens to remember her heroism, the United States Coast Guard announced that “the terminology ‘hate incident’ is no longer present in policy” and conduct which would have previously been handled as a potential hate incident would now be treated as “a report of harassment in cases with an identified aggrieved individual”.
Therefore, this service, first created at the request of Alexander Hamilton in 1790, may now use their individual discretion to allow the Nazi swastika to be displayed if they believe that it will not cause disruption. This decision comes after the United States Secretary of War (formerly defence) ordered a review of all policies related to hazing, bullying, and harassment definitions in the armed services.
Going to the police
Some years ago, whilst I was a member of the staff at a leading university in Scotland, I returned to my desk from teaching and discovered a sealed envelope in my chair. I opened it and was horrified to read a seven-page letter filled with anti-semitic comments condemning the Jewish people.
This letter arrived nearly a decade before the recent troubles that have greatly increased reports of anti-semitism as a result of the murder of 1,200 Jews in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent murder of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
I carefully placed the letter back in the envelope and delivered it to the university’s head of security. He asked what I wanted him to do with it. I told him he should report it to Police Scotland.
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A few weeks later, a police officer emailed to ask for a meeting. He then made a surprise visit to the university and I immediately changed my schedule to meet him. He began by saying: “I am sorry to do this. However, I must first fingerprint you to ensure you did not send this letter to yourself.”
People with mental illnesses apparently do this and, therefore, I needed to be cleared for the forthcoming report. He produced his ink pad and I complied. He asked me a few more questions such as how often had I received letters such as this one (never) and if I had any idea who might have sent it (none at all).
As he left, he thanked me for my time and cooperation, adding: “We will be in touch if we have any further information.” I never heard from him again.
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Frightening and devastating
I later received a similar message in an email from outwith the university and referred this to the director of security as well. He passed this along to Police Scotland and I was later told by another constable that tracing an email can be easier than a posted letter. However, once again, my police radio went silent and I never heard anything further.
Seeing a swastika upon my desk was both frightening and painful. Being ignored by others was devastating.
If the United States Coast Guard can allow their commanders to individually decide if this symbol of evil representing the death of six million Jews, Roma, LGBTQ+ and disabled folk can be displayed as long as it does not cause offense, then what will stop others from allowing this to appear as normative behaviour in our so called civil society?
In 2024, the nation of Australia voted to ban the swastika, along with other hate symbols. It is also banned in Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine. I wonder why the other countries of the world have not joined those states in banning this controversial and painful symbol?
Hate legislation must be enforced
One argument is that the same symbol is considered sacred in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. Therefore, to universally ban this symbol would harm those religions that respect it in other ways.
I have a different view. I believe symbols, flags and banners with hate speech such as “From the river to the sea” or “Heil Hitler” that cause fear, pain, and suffering should be subject to our current hate crime legislation in Scotland and the perpetrators of hatred should be punished.
Throughout Europe, since 1993 when the artist Gunter Demnig laid the first Solperstein in Cologne, Germany, there are now over 100,000 displayed to remember the victims and survivors of the Nazi Holocaust. I hope that, one day, future children might stumble upon Jane Haining’s good name and remember that on a cold day in November, their fellow citizens celebrated her righteous and courageous acts.
I also wonder why we do not find ways as a civil society to work together to reimagine a flag or symbol of universal peace and respect, similar to the rainbow flag that was first invented in 1978.
After all, the country that gave birth to the Scottish Enlightenment surely must be able to use its creative forces to reimagine and reinvent a new symbol that all of us may support. I look forward to one day waving with others the Scottish flag of peace and friendship, perhaps as we visit the Solperstein.
Joe Goldblatt is emeritus professor of planned events at Queen Margaret University. He is ambassador for interfaith for the Edinburgh Interfaith Association. His views are his own. For more information visit www.joegoldblatt.scot
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