Scots auction house defends selling Nazi memorabilia

Items included a Luftwaffe dagger and swastika bunting.

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A Scottish auction house has defended selling a number of Nazi artefacts.

Items that went under the hammer included a Luftwaffe (German airforce) dagger, swastika bunting, and plates from the personal train of one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party – Herman Goring.

A Nazi Iron Cross medal, a book about the Hitler Youth, and a fake £1 note featuring war propaganda were also sold.

The items were sold at McTear’s Auctioneers in Glasgow on Wednesday, February 12.

They were part of a wider auction of historical military memorabilia, which saw a number of British items alongside those from around the world.

Bunting featuring the Nazi German flag was among the items sold. McTear’s

Included in the lot were Japanese artefacts from the Second World War, including an officer’s sword, which sold for £360, a pair of naval binoculars which fetched £1,300, and a “possible” kamikaze flag that went for £60.

A spokesperson for the auction house said: “As the only auctioneer in Scotland to run dedicated sales of historic militaria, McTear’s has frequently consigned important artefacts from both World Wars.

“On occasion, our auctions, like many others across the world, include items related to the Third Reich, which are always handled with sensitivity.

“It is important to note that these historical artefacts provide a tangible link to an important – albeit extremely dark – era in our history that should never be forgotten.”