Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

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rangerbluedog
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Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by rangerbluedog »

As you all are probably aware, I am a collector of all things H. Boker related. I have a number of catalogs and knife ephemera dating back to the early 1900s. H. Boker & Co. in the U.S. was located at 101 Duane Street in New York, and in addition to selling Boker knives manufactured in Solingen and in the United States, they sold hardware and imported steel.

I stumbled across a postcard from H. Boker & Co. advertising a keyless drill chuck. It was mailed in August 1928. Looking closely, I noticed a decorative border made up of swastikas. (see attached scan)
I know that evidence has been found of the swastika symbol as early as 5000 years ago. It was a symbol of good luck and well-being that had a resurgence in the early 1900s.

follow the link for history of the swastika symbol:
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php ... d=10007453

The Nazi party in German began using the swastika in 1920, and Adolf Hitler used it in the flag he designed in 1925.
What do you think? Is the border on this postcard just a random decorative item; a good luck symbol used because it was popular in Europe during the time; or a not so secret message declaring allegiance with Nazi Germany?

As both a fan of the BOKER brand in the U.S. and Germany and a student of history, I find this intriguing.
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cato
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by cato »

Well yes, knew if you was in Germany at that era, and owned anything you was sporting one.

But if I am not mistaken, the swastika is backwards to the original symbol as to the way the points turned.
It is a ancient symbol of fire worship or tree worship, Baal and grove worship even going back to the garden in Christian worship. Each point is a calendar event or festival of pagan worship, summer solstice, winter solstice, Christmas , easter and so on. It has 8 points to it for each of these festivals, also is the yule long
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by Colonel26 »

By 1928, I wouldn't know. I do remember when I was in college studying spanish that it wasn't tertibly uncommon to see the swastika in medieval spanish paintings. Remember that these various Christian "Spanish" kings were descendants of the Visigoths, a Germanic people. You would especially see the swastika in paintings where the king was bragging about being a king of the three monotheisms. The three religions were represented by the star od David, the crescent moon, and a swastika all hidden in the painting.

As a matter of fact there's a painting by Goya in about 1805 I think that displays a pretty predominate swastika. So no it's wasn't an uncommon decoration at all.
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by cato »

DID THEY KNOW,

The symbol is open to the right, which is the one Hitler chose as the emblem, but to say that they knew
how it would end up.. I don't think so.
It took a long time for Hitler to come to power, he started off with his doctrine, and was not accepted to well
so they refined it, lots of stuff going on in Germany and Europe at the time, they was coming out of W.W I
Germany was paying back for the war, times was hard, no work lot of groups and factions all with something to say, it started as something good or looked good, roads being built , public works projects, restoreing pride
in Germany.
But I don't think most of the german people would or could have seen what was coming, Hitler and his group used propaganda to the limits radio and films parades, nothing showing what was going on really, even the deportation looked like they was relocating all was hid as much as they could, And the death camps was at the last of this run,
they indoctrinated the children early taking over schools and everything , it came quick and looked like Germany was prospering so I don't think they knew where it was going till to late

Nothing new man has been killing man off by the gross forever,

don't think we are as far out of the cave as we think we are

The Bible say there are 4 things GOD put in the earth that their is no remedy
Famine, Pestilence , War , and the Beast ( which is always a economic system or world power )
this is the same as the four horsemen in revelation they have always been here
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by jimmyd »

As a child in the early 1960's I asked my Polish Grandmother why she came to this country in the mid 1920's.Her only words ever spoken of the war "Hitler was starting his s..." She had three son serve in that war. I think if this simple polish nonjew knew what was coming the germans may have had a clue.
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by Dinadan »

The swastika had no negative connotations that I am aware of before Hitler. Some Rudyard Kipling books had a swastika design on them before WWII: I was surprised to see one in my sister's library. I do not think it was a secret sign that Kipling was a NAZI, just a design element like stars or Greek key.
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by Old Hunter »

Up until 1938 the 45th Infantry Division, ARNG (OK, NM, CO, AZ) wore a division patch using a yellow swastika on a red diamond (ancient American Indian good luck symbol). With the growing association of the symbol with the Nazi's and WW-II pending, the design was dropped and replaced by a Thunderbird patch in 1939 - the Thunderbird was also emblematic of the area the division was based in. One of the articles below tells about Army JROTC units in TX using a swastika patch in the interwar period - must have been a common symbol in the western US. OH

http://www.insigne.org/Swastika-I.htm

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ ... -division/
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by msteele6 »

In 1928 the Nazi party finished in 9th place in the German Federal election ( less than 3% of the vote).
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 19

Post by Radium07 »

The swastika's origin is based in India and Budism as a sign of well being and prosperity.
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Yehuda
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Yehuda »

One of the things I collect are US trade tokens c.1920-1940. It isn't uncommon to find them stamped with a swastika. My understanding is the swastika during the 20's was a good luck emblem in American culture. Of course, Nazism changed that and destroyed the swastika's mojo. As for a Boker advert printed with them, that could go in either direction being a German based company. Personally, I can't stand the emblem and have tried to keep Nazi era coins in my collection, but they creep me out and I sell them. To each his own.
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Ivoryman »

If they bother you, you can send them to me Yahuda. Hate what Nazi's stand for with a capital H. But I love the style of the uniforms, the decoration of the emblems, and always liked the Iron Cross and Swastika as a symbol and art form. Too bad the Nazi's ruined its cache'. When I was a kid and we played war, I always wanted to be the Germans because their uniforms were the coolest and their planes, tanks and flags looked more stylish. If we had those kind of symbols and uniforms I would have wanted to be us. Just the style that I liked. And by the looks of the stuff on feebay, I'm not alone, they go for big bucks to this day and I'm pretty sure it's not just Nazi sympathizers and white supremacists buying them all.
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Yehuda »

Ivoryman wrote:If they bother you, you can send them to me Yahuda. Hate what Nazi's stand for with a capital H. But I love the style of the uniforms, the decoration of the emblems, and always liked the Iron Cross and Swastika as a symbol and art form. Too bad the Nazi's ruined its cache'. When I was a kid and we played war, I always wanted to be the Germans because their uniforms were the coolest and their planes, tanks and flags looked more stylish. If we had those kind of symbols and uniforms I would have wanted to be us. Just the style that I liked. And by the looks of the stuff on feebay, I'm not alone, they go for big bucks to this day and I'm pretty sure it's not just Nazi sympathizers and white supremacists buying them all.
I got rid of my Nazi coins some time ago. I agree, their stuff looked really cool. I know a Jew who collects Nazi uniforms, he has an entire room dedicated to the hobby. Go figure. :)
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Ivoryman »

Yehuda wrote:
Ivoryman wrote:If they bother you, you can send them to me Yahuda. Hate what Nazi's stand for with a capital H. But I love the style of the uniforms, the decoration of the emblems, and always liked the Iron Cross and Swastika as a symbol and art form. Too bad the Nazi's ruined its cache'. When I was a kid and we played war, I always wanted to be the Germans because their uniforms were the coolest and their planes, tanks and flags looked more stylish. If we had those kind of symbols and uniforms I would have wanted to be us. Just the style that I liked. And by the looks of the stuff on feebay, I'm not alone, they go for big bucks to this day and I'm pretty sure it's not just Nazi sympathizers and white supremacists buying them all.
I got rid of my Nazi coins some time ago. I agree, their stuff looked really cool. I know a Jew who collects Nazi uniforms, he has an entire room dedicated to the hobby. Go figure. :)
Cracked me up bigtime with that bit about the "Jew who collects Nazi uniforms." I don't know why but to me that is funny man, great stuff.
"It's what people know about themselves inside that makes them afraid." -No Name, High Plains Drifter
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by tongueriver »

post deleted. I decided that it was not appropriate.
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Yehuda »

Ivoryman wrote:
Yehuda wrote:
Ivoryman wrote:If they bother you, you can send them to me Yahuda. Hate what Nazi's stand for with a capital H. But I love the style of the uniforms, the decoration of the emblems, and always liked the Iron Cross and Swastika as a symbol and art form. Too bad the Nazi's ruined its cache'. When I was a kid and we played war, I always wanted to be the Germans because their uniforms were the coolest and their planes, tanks and flags looked more stylish. If we had those kind of symbols and uniforms I would have wanted to be us. Just the style that I liked. And by the looks of the stuff on feebay, I'm not alone, they go for big bucks to this day and I'm pretty sure it's not just Nazi sympathizers and white supremacists buying them all.
I got rid of my Nazi coins some time ago. I agree, their stuff looked really cool. I know a Jew who collects Nazi uniforms, he has an entire room dedicated to the hobby. Go figure. :)
Cracked me up bigtime with that bid about the "Jew who collects Nazi uniforms." I don't know why but to me that is funny man, great stuff.
I knew his daughter. One evening she says she wants to show me something. Wasn't planning on that!
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Ivoryman »

I bet you weren't. That one kills, laughed and laughed. ::rotflol::
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Re: Did They Know? H.Boker & Co.'s use of the swastika in 1928

Post by Yehuda »

::ds::
"Wise man say, forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza."
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