“We are blocking the sale of this shirt,” said an Adidas spokesperson.
The SS (German: Schutzstaffel – protection squad) is a paramilitary organization of Nazi Germany responsible for many crimes against humanity.
From its inception, the SS was the main strike force against, according to the Nazis themselves, the enemies of the nation and the race. The SS was distinguished by the fact that all its members were strictly selected on the basis of racial and ideological characteristics.
The issue of symbolism was first raised by historian Michael Kionig, who argued that the design of the sets’ clothing was “highly questionable”.
Adidas spokesman Oliver Bruiggen denied that the clothing design was deliberately chosen to bear similarities to Nazi symbols.
“As a company, we are committed to opposing xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence and hatred in all its forms,” he said.
Adidas claimed that the numbers on the shirts were created by the German Football Association (DFB) and its partners.
On social network X, the DFB said the shirt design had been submitted to UEFA for review and “none of the parties involved in the creative process saw similarities to Nazi symbolism”.
The DFB added that an alternative design for the number “4” will be created.
Germany will host the European Football Championship this year, which will be held in 10 different cities.
Tags: Sales national team jerseys marked number discontinued Germany
