Antiques market near Waterloo, Ont. pulls Nazi uniform after controversy

An antiques market just outside Waterloo, Ont. has removed a Nazi uniform from its store after a Jewish human rights organization condemned the sale of the item.

On Tuesday, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) issued a statement calling on St. Jacobs Antiques Market to stop the sale of the uniform.

“While it’s not illegal to display or sell Nazi memorabilia, profiting off such items associated with the genocide of six million Jews and millions of others goes against good conscience,” said FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt in a news release.

“This Nazi uniform belongs in an appropriate educational institution, used as an education tool to teach the public about the Second World War and the horrors of the Holocaust. Otherwise, it may end up in the wrong hands, including extremists and Nazi sympathizers.”

According to FSWC, the uniform was described by the dealer as a “very rare” Nazi political tunic and was listed for $6,500.

The organization said it had reached out to the market via email to express its concerns.

On Monday, the market was quoted by CityNews as saying it did not support Nazism but “history cannot be erased, and it is extremely important to educate people of the horrific past.”

A Nazi uniform is seen for sale at St. Jacobs Antiques Market on Wednesday morning. (Sijia Liu/CTV Kitchener)

When CTV News visited the market on Wednesday morning, the uniform was still on display.

However, when asked for comment, the owners of the market told CTV News the tunic would be removed.

“We will be pulling the tunic out. We don't support Nazism,” the market said in an email.

The market does not own the tunic and it was being sold on behalf of another vendor, it said in a subsequent email.  

"We do not want the tunic at our market. Our market had no intention to offend anyone. An apology has been issued to the Holocaust organization and we do hope to work with the organization in the future," it said. "We are glad they have reached out to us and we are glad that we resolved this in timely manner."

CTV News has confirmed the uniform is no longer on display at the market.

An empty display case that formerly housed the Nazi uniform is seen around noon on Wendesday. (Sijia Liu/CTV Kitchener)

Daniel Panneton, director of allyship and engagement with FSWC said the development is positive.

“We’re pleased to see that St. Jacobs Antiques Market has responded to the concerns of the Jewish community, apologized and removed the tunic,” Panneton said.

“Hopefully they've learned that selling Nazi memorabilia is not acceptable and will not do so again."

This isn’t the first time an antique store in the area has come under fire for selling Nazi items.

In 2015, nearby Market Road Antiques pulled a letter signed by Adolf Hitler, items bearing swastikas and a ring belonging to an S.S. officer after a petition was launched.

Following the recent controversy, St. Jacob’s Market District and Market Road Antiques issued a statement Wednesday saying they are not affiliated with St. Jacobs Antiques Market and have a strict policy against the sale of Nazi memorabilia.

'AN OPEN QUESTION'

Penneton said some World War Two veterans came home with their time fighting with “trophies.”

“Those veterans are passing away and those artifacts are then going to the kids and the grandkids, so what’s going to happen to those artifacts is an open question in the future,” he said.

If someone finds themselves in possession of a Nazi artifact, the best thing to do is contact a human rights or holocaust memorial institution.

“Hopefully they’ll accept some sort of donation,” Penneton said. “And if not, let conscience guide you, perhaps destroying it is the best option, perhaps hiding it away and never letting it see the light of day again is the best option, but don’t sell it.”