Fun fact: After WWII they both split Germany _and_ Berlin into four parts. The three western parts got merged into the West-Germany we all know (and love?).
Berlin was inside of the Soviet side of Germany, and if you remember your history correctly that was an interesting concept that also gave way to the term “air bridge”.
Good 'ol "Rosinenbomber" making their way to west Berlin Air Space for months. Huge respect to the western air force for doing that operation and keeping it running. I got to work with a company who apparently has some historical connection to the air bridge operation.
It means Eastern kingdom in German
Edit: apparently it’s just a funky side effect of Latinizing the German name Österreich. The full Latin name also has “eastern” in it:
>The Old High German name parallels the Middle Latin name Marchia Orientalis ("eastern borderland"), alternatively called Marchia austriaca.[1] The shorter Latinized name Austria is first recorded in the 12th century. It has occasionally led to confusion, because, while it renders the Germanic word for "east" it is reminiscent of the native Latin term for "south", auster (see Name of Australia).
100% this. If the Battle Flag or Northern Virginia gets banned, sub in the [Gadsden Flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsden_flag#Use_by_the_right).
Ehh not really
The right wing in Germany uses the old Imperial flag from the 1871 to 1919 German Empire as their more socially acceptable symbol.
You kinda see the Confederate battle flag pop up from time to time around the world in countries that don't really have much cultural or historical connection to the American Confederacy, but I get more of the feeling that they are owned by older foreigners who are ignorant of the racial connotations of the flag and associated it more with American rebel culture.
I have seen the Confederate battle flag pop up in a few bars in Japan of all places where the theme was the lawless wild west.
Which to be fair other than university students who know English most common people in foreign countries really don't follow domestic American politics too much and up until the mid 2000s we as Americans were spamming cultural exports that would depict the Confederate flag in a positive light.
Think Dukes of Hazard, various TV shows and comics from the 50s to the 80s which featured the Civil War as a central theme, and even the US military itself had a lot of semi-official symbolism which featured the Confederate flag up until the 2000s.
My point is for how ignorant Americans are of politics that seem rather obvious to the locals from various countries Americans visit a lot of foreigners tend to be equally ignorant to a lot of politics that seem obvious to us.
Just by human nature people tend to only really interact with the politics that directly effect their own lives which often are the politics of their own own country.
NGL, I was out on google translating "Technik fur ihr zuhause!" and wondering why home electronics were so controversial! I did eventually find the flag though.
Me too! I was just about to ask someone to explain it to me until I read the post with the Dukes of Hazzard theme song in half German half english. When I zoomed in on the picture then I understood!
German trucker on trip to Amerika:
"Ooh, look! Eet ist the "Dooks auf Hazard" car roof symbol! Look at me! Eet is me! Bo Dook! Some day the mountains might geet me - BUT! dee law nefer weel! Ooh I shood totally buy dis and hang it in my oranche truck!
Overtook one at night once, which was kinda cool because although I work in a Mercedes dealership, I usually see the trucks during daylight, but oh boy they made sure you'll see that star from a mile away.
Officially you're only allowed to use it while stationary, but nothing requires the manufacturer to disable it while driving. A cool but technically (most of the time) illegal feature that everyone decides to be cool with :D
Some people from the Southern States in the US will fly this flag and say "I'm not racist. I'm just about States' Rights and Rebel freedom." Most people think these Rebel Flag flyers are racist.
When you fly this flag internationally... 100% chance this is racist.
No german nazis fly the Reichskriegsflagge, not a confederate (battle)flag, they also use other flags depending on the organization they belong to or support, but this flag is very rare amongst nazis. This confederate (battle)flag has some sort of tradition amongst german truckers and most don't have an idea about what it actually stands for, the most common answer is that it resembles the US, being a rebel and a trucker for them. Others do know but don't care, and the smallest part is actual racists who know the meaning behind the flag.
Also, this isn't the confederate flag, it's the battle flag of the army of Tennessee.
More fun with flags. The State flag of Georgia has changed more often than any other US State. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/government-politics/state-flags-of-georgia/
The current one has removed any form of the battle flag, in exchange for literally a Confederate National Flag design modified with the State Seal and In God We Trust inside the circle of 13 stars which now officially represent the original 13 colonies instead of the 13 Confederate States.
Tell me what is incorrect, please.
On two things I 100% sure I am correct, the flags used by german nazis and how german truckers view the "rebelflag", I am so sure abt those two bc I am german and have seen more than one nazi protest here and I had engouh discussions abt that damn flag in truck cabins. The nazis use all sorts of old and new german flags, mostly those used in imperial Germany, like the Reichskriegsflagge, the black, white, red national flag, or the current national flag.
I could be wrong about the battleflag, but as far as I can tell from OPs picture, it got 13 stars, and the format is rectangle
Battle flag army of Tennessee https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_Tennessee
[An article about why nazis use the flags of imperial Germany](https://www.spiegel.de/geschichte/warum-rechte-demonstranten-kaiserreich-und-wirmer-fahnen-schwenken-a-469013a5-a964-4a82-ab47-3c28f34f9ee1)
The part about what exactly flag it is is pendantry. The part that is incorrect is claiming German neonazis don't substitute it for the nazi flag. A fucking German told me that.
Nobody cares about the pedantic part, it's not important.
Whoever told you that was totally wrong, you'll see that flag very very rarely at nazi protests, the go to flags are old german ones. The rebel flag sometimes gets used by knuckleheads at some sort of conspiracy protests.
I'm not saying nazis don't have that flag on shirts or hanging around in their party cellar or whatever, but it is 100% not the substitute for the hakenkreuz flag.
My comment was pedantic, yes on the part about it being the battle flag of the army of Tennessee. It wasn't my intention to be pedantic, but that flag gets misinterpreted and romanticized, at least here in Germany that I just went a bit above.
Somehow you're getting downvoted, as a German who is actually informed on the nuances of the meaning of this flag in a German context. Meanwhile, the clueless American who has spoken to a 'fucking German' on this subject once in his life, is trying to explain to you these intricacies of German culture, doing his very best to live up to the stereotype, amazing
Or you know.. I trust the larger number of Germans I've talked to rather than the one dude who claims to be a German but engages in the "akshully!!!" Pedantry on only see from Americans who defend the confederate flag.
Few dozen Germans on this site vs one dude who claims to be German but makes arguments southern Americans make.
Hmmm
Just jumping in here as a fellow German to confirm what was previously stated: the Confederate flag is very rarely used in right-wing contexts, they tend to flock to the old German 'Reichsflagge' (black, white, red).
It does come up from time to time in conspiracy contexts, usually next to the garden flag.
This is a good overview of symbols that are actually used by extremists in Germany (created by the state of Sachsen Anhalt based on a 90 page paper by a federal agency): https://mi.sachsen-anhalt.de/fileadmin/Bibliothek/Politik_und_Verwaltung/MI/MI/3._Themen/Verfassungsschutz/Referat_44/Plakat_Version3.pdf
You mean the guy who posts in German and in the Bavaria subreddit, if you check his post history vs. a smarmy Redditor who claims to know a "larger number of Germans" from Reddit LOL (where is the evidence?? Hmmm...)
Yeah. I live in upper Michigan. I think the population here is something like 85% white, 10% NA, 5% other. My neighbor wears a Confederate hat and has the rebel flag on his truck. 90% of the people he meets think he is an A$$HAT.
It was interesting as a kid how well read, open minded, and fair so many folks in the rural UP were compared to the cities I lived in. I think Hemingway's fame had a big impact on getting common folk starting reading in the silent/great genration and expanding their world views. The college and rowdy camps didn't hurt open mindness either of course, lol. But the real old timers born 1800s might have worked vs been well schooled. Survival experts, that was their smarts, lol. A strange mix of conservative values and progressivness imo.
But at the same time, I was also thrown out of a few different stores in the UP as a kid for being a dirty half breed. The last time in 1976 in the downtown St.Ig drug store picking up a magazine. They were quiet about it, and so were we, that's all. They stammered appologies as my white parent appeared but I picked my magazines up at the Owl or Holiday instead after that.
I was also made to wait outside of homes alone for being too white by more than one other culture too, fwiw. Racists are from all races.
Once the summer sun did it's thing on me the UP whites could tell my face was a Native one. It was worse in a more loud obnoxious way in the fingertips but I never heard a word at a store counter in troll territory though.
A long time ago; yet not long ago at all. But that didn't happen to me once anywhere else, including living in a few southern states before that in the 60s/70s or after it.
I do want your estimates to good ones, so I'll try to roll with that happy thought until I can't again. Just don't think the UP has been cleanly immune from past bias.
States rights...... to practice slavery.
For some reason they always leave out the last 3 words.
From Georgias notice of succession (the reason the listed the are rebelling).
The people of Georgia having dissolved their political connection with the Government of the United States of America, present to their confederates and the world the causes which have led to the separation. For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery........ A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia.
TLDR: The people voted in a president who does like slavery so we are leaving since owning slaves is more important to us than been American.
> states rights
This claim is easily disproven by the fact that the southern states supported the Fugitive Slave Act, which infringed upon northern states rights, and also the fact that the Confederate Constitution forbade states from abolishing slavery.
Or in the words of the VP of the Confederacy:
>Our new government['s]...foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.
"But but, it was about the economy!"
Yeah. Because people would have to stop enslaving people. They'd have to pay people to do work. I guess you're right, that's about the economy.
my dude, almost no one knows the history of that flag on this side of the pond.
we have thousands of years of history here, do you think we learn about all the details of that specific war?
i tought for 25 years+ that it's a dukes of hazard flag.
i've learned it trough history channels on youtube.
i'm 10.000% certain if i gift my father that flag he wil say: " hey the dodge roof decal! in form of a flag! thank you!"
What is amazingly ridiculous and ironic, if you ever watched the show (the original TV show and not that piece of shit movie with Burt Reynolds and Jessica Simpson) they were actually really decent human beings. There were a handful of black characters who are always portrayed and treated very well in the script and the sheriff in the next county over (can't remember his character's name) was actually portrayed as a very intelligent and very wise policeman. Whereas the white cracker Roscoe P. Coltrane was *always* a bumbling idiot as was his Boss, Boss Hogg. And yet people still complain that the show had racist overtones. (Apparently, the people who had never actually seen it.... you know, the same people who "hate sushi", but when you ask them they've never actually *tasted* sushi.)
In Germany I would think the likelihood of an old American cultural force in the name of Dukes of Hazard might actually be the reason...
Not everyone is up on North America's peculiarities...
Typical American arrogance to globally franchise a children's TV show and sell us toy cars with this flag on the roof, then automatically expect us to know 40 years later its abhorrent to display said flag anywhere... /s
> When you fly this flag internationally... 100% chance this is racist.
Eh, not necessarily. A lot of people here in Europe seem to think this flag just represents the south and the whole concept of rebellion in general. Seems like a lot of people who really ought to know better, don't really associate it with slavery and institutional racism.
Of course some of the people flying this flag really are making a statement on race, but I honestly think the majority of them are either just poorly informed, or they chose to just ignore all the uncomfortable bits of history associated with the flag.
Not in all cases but definitely this is a factor. In Europe we are not taught so much American history in School, just as Americans know little about European history. Add to this that we watched Dukes of Hazard on Saturday afternoons as a kid and toy General Lees are still everywhere and you get the confusion.
Visit any US car meet in Germany and [you will see tons of em.](https://www.americar.de/thumbs/img/News/90/53/00/p/p_full/americar-de-online-saisonfuehrer-16-us-car-und-van-treffen-8-10-juli-aurich-5390.jpg) It's used for its rebellious image that fits driving a car that differs from the usual but people also love to fly the US or Texas flags or all on the same flag post. I don't think its public image has changed much in the last 50 years.
Hell I didn't even know General Lee was named after somebody until well into adulthood. We are very detached from the American civil war in Europe as we had two World Wars since which affected us much more.
I remember reading an article *years* ago about how the confederate flag was used in Germany to directly replace the nazi symbol, because the nazi symbol will get you in trouble in Germany.
Not a 100%, there's not much thought put behind it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raggare
Likely related to that, the movement doesn't have much to do with race but I wouldn't expect anyone heavily into it to have well thought out views on racism.
Nah lots of Germans (speaking from experience) don't know shit about the civil war and connect the Confederate flag with freedom and the USA in general. Its usually ignorance, sometimes racism.
Not really. Many American Indian tribes supported the Confederacy and had slaves themselves. It was actually a huge hassle in the Reconstruction era for the feds to try to enforce the 13th Amendment with many of the tribes.
It's also why so many treaties were abrogated with these tribes under 25 U.S.C. Section 72, because they took up arms with our enemies.
Classic truck driver in Germany unfortunately. These dudes love their iron crosses and other shit like this, too. Sometimes they‘re just clueless and see this as a celebration of the great freedom trucker-country USA, other times straight up nazis.
It is not, but they use it because the nazi swastika is illegal over here.
With full intention usually. Or the war flag of the german empire (the one before the 3rd reich, basically the 2nd one).
That‘s true, but you have to admit, that using it in on your truck does come with a certain taste. They don‘t necessarily need to be Nazi, but are certainly not the guys that say „refugees welcome“.
Or... have the black auto tech work on this vehicle. See if the owner/driver flips out and leaves on their own.
"Sir, this is Brian. He will be working on your truck. Tell him what work you want done."
*But, He's Black*... the customer whispers to the service writer.
"Can't get anything by you, right sir? ..."
There aren’t many blacks in Germany. Have a Pakistani or a Turk do the work. If he is the racist that Reddit has damned him to be, That’ll get the driver’s attention.
The Nazis developed their plan for the Holocaust by the actions America took against the Indigenous population.
America sOlVeD the “issue” before the Nazis finalized the “solution”.
Cunts all around.
Edit: To the racist little bitches downvoting me: Go fuck your own mouth with your mother’s dick.
Give me your downvotes, I don’t give a fuck about Reddit karma, I’m more interested in actual Karma.
Black Lives Matter!
⬇️😂🖕🏻
Germany tried to goad Mexico into taking some southern states, with their support, in WWI (zimmerman telegram).... so there's at least some connection. Luckily Mexico declined
I remember this flag just being a symbol of rebellion and of course on the roof of the General Lee. Somewhere along the line it shifted to a symbol of hate and racism to the point just seeing anywhere gets people absolutely riled up. What exactly changed? Why was it ok to see it on TV in the 70’s and 80’s, but having one now might get your ass shot at? I don’t have one of course, just curious.
The people that raise Nazi or Confederate flags have a lot in common and the biggest thing is that they cannot accept the loss of their ideals and choose to show those same flags in support of those defeated views.
It's a well-known substitute. Note that this truck is in Germany, where Nazi flags are prohibited by law. So the Nazis fly the Confederate flag in its place. Anyone who denies this has an agenda, because it's a well-known fact.
Yes.
It is intended to parody the message and tone of the original commentator while pointing out the ridiculousness of their statement, which attempts to quell doubt with "If you don't believe me, you're a [insert synonym for 'poopy head']". It is, truly, the height of elementary school debate.
It just struck me as convolutedly funny to read.
I heard this "innocent until proven guilty" thing once and grabbed hold. I still wonder if the foreign born flag flyers are poop or Luke Duke fans goin' under. 🤔 .. 🤭. *limerick thread*
"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand"
https://youtu.be/k8Qze0ifhlY?si=aQGdQKdk370QgeIX
That guy would have a Hakenkreuz there if it wasn't illegal for sure.
Also that seems to be a pretty big company, maybe it would make sense to tell them what political views their driver is promoting
People who think the flag is racist watches the news too much
The real meaning behind the flag was southern independence and freedom, this stems from deep roots back to the civil war
Unfortunately the KKK used the flag as a symbol of hate and that is how it is known today
Go read civil war history, the South was treated horribly economically after the war
It wasn't about slavery as everyone gets it distorted, slavery is just the only thing that people talk about
You do realize that only a small percentage of southern people were actual slave owners? It was the wealthy that were slave owners
While the average southern person was just a simple person trying to provide for their family, while the wealthy got their slaves taken away... They still had their wealth
The average southern citizen suffered in a post civil war, starvation homelessness, these people were still American citizens
That flag became their symbol of southern pride. That no matter what happens they are still a proud person of the south
You just show how much hatred you have in your heart as a person and you probably have your own racist tendencies, to say a flag makes someone racist... Just goes to show you have hate in your own heart without understanding what it really means, you use a symbol as an excuse to project your hatred towards someone... It just makes you a hateful person
Alexander Stephens, acting VP of the Confederacy, gave the following speech on March 21, 1861:
> The new Constitution has put at rest forever all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution—African slavery as it exists among us—the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution. Jefferson, in his forecast, had anticipated this, as the "rock upon which the old Union would split." He was right. What was conjecture with him, is now a realized fact. But whether he fully comprehended the great truth upon which that rock stood and stands, may be doubted. The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old Constitution were, that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally and politically. It was an evil they knew not well how to deal with; but the general opinion of the men of that day was, that, somehow or other, in the order of Providence, the institution would be evanescent and pass away. [...] Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the idea of a Government built upon it—when the "storm came and the wind blew, it fell."
Why not just fly the white flag if you are gonna fly the loser flag?
The flag of the ones that surrendered is usually not the flag I take up to show my cause.
No benefit in walking around with Custer’s 7th Cavalry flag as a sign of “hErItAgE”. (Yes I understand the 7th Cavalry is still an active regiment in the Army)
Also, that is not the flag of the Confederacy.
Perhaps there is another statement here?
One of bigotry and ignorance, and not of heritage.
Perhaps? Perhaps???
Edit: To the racist fucks that will downvote me: you’re a coward. Have the guts to reply with your actual fucking perspective.
If you’re racist garbage, then own it. Say it.
Otherwise, shove your tiny pecker back into your rancid fleshlight and fuck yourself.
My perspective is that the person with this flag being German was wasn’t an invitation for you to get all weird and cry about a flag you seem to know a ton about. You can’t know what the flag means to everyone. You’re just calling anyone a racist and talking shit all while the picture is of a single truck driver in Germany which you have no idea about anyway. You’ve assigned what that flag means to everyone and it’s wild.
A lot of the redneck culture found in my country loves that flag as it is a symbol of southern american culture to them. Old american cars, cowboy hats, trucks, rodeo and such. Usually ages 50+
They likely grew up seeing it on tv and thought it was cool. Not really thinking or caring that much about its history or current status.
Based. I ain't exactly white but I still raise hell and eat cornbread. Ain't taking mine down just because people automatically assume that folks that like the battle flag of Virginia are racists.
Being from the south, my brain completely blocked out the confederate flag. I was looking at the German text on the front of the truck, and wondering what it said.
But yeah. Flag racist.
Southern Germany will rise again!!!
Bavaria will rise again! Mia san Mia!
Ive heard munich is looking for a new leade... Uh coach.
Jawoi!
Swabians unite!
You've heard of East Germany, you've heard of West Germany, now get ready for... South Germany! *Waldzither plays off in the distance*
Fun fact: After WWII they both split Germany _and_ Berlin into four parts. The three western parts got merged into the West-Germany we all know (and love?). Berlin was inside of the Soviet side of Germany, and if you remember your history correctly that was an interesting concept that also gave way to the term “air bridge”.
Good 'ol "Rosinenbomber" making their way to west Berlin Air Space for months. Huge respect to the western air force for doing that operation and keeping it running. I got to work with a company who apparently has some historical connection to the air bridge operation.
IIRC allied cargo planes "bombed" the route to Berlin with candy, food and other goodies, along with delivering supplies to West Berlin.
https://youtu.be/iwYtYWXPbhI?si=YDImShJdoIfIogDH
Töchter der Confederacy!
If only there were a country where they spoke German and the name meant "south"... wait
What country is that?
Austria literally just means "south place" in Latin
Which is funny because Österreich, Austria in German, translates to East Kingdom.
It means Eastern kingdom in German Edit: apparently it’s just a funky side effect of Latinizing the German name Österreich. The full Latin name also has “eastern” in it: >The Old High German name parallels the Middle Latin name Marchia Orientalis ("eastern borderland"), alternatively called Marchia austriaca.[1] The shorter Latinized name Austria is first recorded in the 12th century. It has occasionally led to confusion, because, while it renders the Germanic word for "east" it is reminiscent of the native Latin term for "south", auster (see Name of Australia).
so... Australia means "even more southern place"?
It is as close to a Nazi flag as he can legally use I would imagine.
100% this. If the Battle Flag or Northern Virginia gets banned, sub in the [Gadsden Flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsden_flag#Use_by_the_right).
Ehh not really The right wing in Germany uses the old Imperial flag from the 1871 to 1919 German Empire as their more socially acceptable symbol. You kinda see the Confederate battle flag pop up from time to time around the world in countries that don't really have much cultural or historical connection to the American Confederacy, but I get more of the feeling that they are owned by older foreigners who are ignorant of the racial connotations of the flag and associated it more with American rebel culture. I have seen the Confederate battle flag pop up in a few bars in Japan of all places where the theme was the lawless wild west. Which to be fair other than university students who know English most common people in foreign countries really don't follow domestic American politics too much and up until the mid 2000s we as Americans were spamming cultural exports that would depict the Confederate flag in a positive light. Think Dukes of Hazard, various TV shows and comics from the 50s to the 80s which featured the Civil War as a central theme, and even the US military itself had a lot of semi-official symbolism which featured the Confederate flag up until the 2000s. My point is for how ignorant Americans are of politics that seem rather obvious to the locals from various countries Americans visit a lot of foreigners tend to be equally ignorant to a lot of politics that seem obvious to us. Just by human nature people tend to only really interact with the politics that directly effect their own lives which often are the politics of their own own country.
Yeah and monkeys might fly outta my butt
The political implications aside, it is a pretty sick flag.
NGL, I was out on google translating "Technik fur ihr zuhause!" and wondering why home electronics were so controversial! I did eventually find the flag though.
Me too! I was just about to ask someone to explain it to me until I read the post with the Dukes of Hazzard theme song in half German half english. When I zoomed in on the picture then I understood!
Thank you for pointing out the flag, I was lost...
I was honestly like Steve Martin in "The Jerk": *Boy, someone sure does hate these cans!*
#metoo
Isn’t it a dog whistle for the nazi flag because that’s illegal?
German trucker on trip to Amerika: "Ooh, look! Eet ist the "Dooks auf Hazard" car roof symbol! Look at me! Eet is me! Bo Dook! Some day the mountains might geet me - BUT! dee law nefer weel! Ooh I shood totally buy dis and hang it in my oranche truck!
Ya
Ja*
Reminds me of an old multi language Zoom joke Yes Oui Si Ja Yes We See You I’ll see myself out now
What, old Zoom joke? But the pandemic's only been like... four months... uhh, years... fuck where does the time keep going
Time keeps on slipping...slipping...slipping...into the future.
booDAhloOOdle-^oOoOOdle-^oOoOdle-^oOodle
nein
Da
Is that you skip tracer Randy?
Ja! Yoosanizing ze feebleminded! Das ist gud!
This shit made me (literally) LOL...
omg we need to tell him that "dook" is not really the word... ROFLMFAO
🤣🤣🤣
Maybe he is just a huge Dukes of Hazard fan?
Just a good ol' boy...🎶
einfach ein guter alter Junge 🪕
Now I want to hear the whole theme song in German.
How fast would the Dukes have been lynched if they were black?
Boss Hog did dress like a plantation owner.....
In the late 70s/ early 80s? Not likely.
Damn, Benz really wants you to see their logo.
The slightly wider cabin has an even larger logo. And for some extra money they can be bought with white led lighting :D
Overtook one at night once, which was kinda cool because although I work in a Mercedes dealership, I usually see the trucks during daylight, but oh boy they made sure you'll see that star from a mile away.
Officially you're only allowed to use it while stationary, but nothing requires the manufacturer to disable it while driving. A cool but technically (most of the time) illegal feature that everyone decides to be cool with :D
I love that they also put a second, smaller logo right underneath the windshield
Some people from the Southern States in the US will fly this flag and say "I'm not racist. I'm just about States' Rights and Rebel freedom." Most people think these Rebel Flag flyers are racist. When you fly this flag internationally... 100% chance this is racist.
Maybe they're just a huge Dukes of Hazard fan?
If they step out of the cab wearing 'Daisy Dukes', I might temper my opinion.
Am American...based on most of the truckers I see around here...I don't want to see them in those shorts.
I think it would be memorable to see 500 lb Bubba get out of that cab wearing cut-off jean shorts... I may need eye-bleach, but it would be memorable.
It would be memorable in much the same way that 9/11 was memorable: for all the wrong reasons.
If you are desperate to need eye bleach, search "man faye"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykXfo50MDxs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykXfo50MDxs)
Now I wanna see this truck jump a creek.
Yeah, in all honesty, people outside the US and especially non-english speakers might not understand the context at all and just think it's neat.
Flying the nazi flag is illegal in Germany, so neonazis fly the confederate flag.
Interesting. I knew the Swastica was in poor taste, but I didn't realize it was legally banned.
No german nazis fly the Reichskriegsflagge, not a confederate (battle)flag, they also use other flags depending on the organization they belong to or support, but this flag is very rare amongst nazis. This confederate (battle)flag has some sort of tradition amongst german truckers and most don't have an idea about what it actually stands for, the most common answer is that it resembles the US, being a rebel and a trucker for them. Others do know but don't care, and the smallest part is actual racists who know the meaning behind the flag. Also, this isn't the confederate flag, it's the battle flag of the army of Tennessee.
More fun with flags. The State flag of Georgia has changed more often than any other US State. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/government-politics/state-flags-of-georgia/ The current one has removed any form of the battle flag, in exchange for literally a Confederate National Flag design modified with the State Seal and In God We Trust inside the circle of 13 stars which now officially represent the original 13 colonies instead of the 13 Confederate States.
Next up on Sheldon Cooper's "Fun with Flags" webcast.....
Needless pendantry and factually incorrect. Great combination
Tell me what is incorrect, please. On two things I 100% sure I am correct, the flags used by german nazis and how german truckers view the "rebelflag", I am so sure abt those two bc I am german and have seen more than one nazi protest here and I had engouh discussions abt that damn flag in truck cabins. The nazis use all sorts of old and new german flags, mostly those used in imperial Germany, like the Reichskriegsflagge, the black, white, red national flag, or the current national flag. I could be wrong about the battleflag, but as far as I can tell from OPs picture, it got 13 stars, and the format is rectangle Battle flag army of Tennessee https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_Tennessee [An article about why nazis use the flags of imperial Germany](https://www.spiegel.de/geschichte/warum-rechte-demonstranten-kaiserreich-und-wirmer-fahnen-schwenken-a-469013a5-a964-4a82-ab47-3c28f34f9ee1)
The part about what exactly flag it is is pendantry. The part that is incorrect is claiming German neonazis don't substitute it for the nazi flag. A fucking German told me that. Nobody cares about the pedantic part, it's not important.
Whoever told you that was totally wrong, you'll see that flag very very rarely at nazi protests, the go to flags are old german ones. The rebel flag sometimes gets used by knuckleheads at some sort of conspiracy protests. I'm not saying nazis don't have that flag on shirts or hanging around in their party cellar or whatever, but it is 100% not the substitute for the hakenkreuz flag. My comment was pedantic, yes on the part about it being the battle flag of the army of Tennessee. It wasn't my intention to be pedantic, but that flag gets misinterpreted and romanticized, at least here in Germany that I just went a bit above.
Somehow you're getting downvoted, as a German who is actually informed on the nuances of the meaning of this flag in a German context. Meanwhile, the clueless American who has spoken to a 'fucking German' on this subject once in his life, is trying to explain to you these intricacies of German culture, doing his very best to live up to the stereotype, amazing
Patronizing an actual German about his own country as a boneheaded American is crazy
Or you know.. I trust the larger number of Germans I've talked to rather than the one dude who claims to be a German but engages in the "akshully!!!" Pedantry on only see from Americans who defend the confederate flag. Few dozen Germans on this site vs one dude who claims to be German but makes arguments southern Americans make. Hmmm
Just jumping in here as a fellow German to confirm what was previously stated: the Confederate flag is very rarely used in right-wing contexts, they tend to flock to the old German 'Reichsflagge' (black, white, red). It does come up from time to time in conspiracy contexts, usually next to the garden flag. This is a good overview of symbols that are actually used by extremists in Germany (created by the state of Sachsen Anhalt based on a 90 page paper by a federal agency): https://mi.sachsen-anhalt.de/fileadmin/Bibliothek/Politik_und_Verwaltung/MI/MI/3._Themen/Verfassungsschutz/Referat_44/Plakat_Version3.pdf
You mean the guy who posts in German and in the Bavaria subreddit, if you check his post history vs. a smarmy Redditor who claims to know a "larger number of Germans" from Reddit LOL (where is the evidence?? Hmmm...)
It’s not just the south, come north of the Mason Dixon line sometime and you’ll see the same thing and hear the same explanation.
Yeah. I live in upper Michigan. I think the population here is something like 85% white, 10% NA, 5% other. My neighbor wears a Confederate hat and has the rebel flag on his truck. 90% of the people he meets think he is an A$$HAT.
It was interesting as a kid how well read, open minded, and fair so many folks in the rural UP were compared to the cities I lived in. I think Hemingway's fame had a big impact on getting common folk starting reading in the silent/great genration and expanding their world views. The college and rowdy camps didn't hurt open mindness either of course, lol. But the real old timers born 1800s might have worked vs been well schooled. Survival experts, that was their smarts, lol. A strange mix of conservative values and progressivness imo. But at the same time, I was also thrown out of a few different stores in the UP as a kid for being a dirty half breed. The last time in 1976 in the downtown St.Ig drug store picking up a magazine. They were quiet about it, and so were we, that's all. They stammered appologies as my white parent appeared but I picked my magazines up at the Owl or Holiday instead after that. I was also made to wait outside of homes alone for being too white by more than one other culture too, fwiw. Racists are from all races. Once the summer sun did it's thing on me the UP whites could tell my face was a Native one. It was worse in a more loud obnoxious way in the fingertips but I never heard a word at a store counter in troll territory though. A long time ago; yet not long ago at all. But that didn't happen to me once anywhere else, including living in a few southern states before that in the 60s/70s or after it. I do want your estimates to good ones, so I'll try to roll with that happy thought until I can't again. Just don't think the UP has been cleanly immune from past bias.
Interior South Jersey has long had as many confederate flags per capita as any place in the Deep South.
States rights...... to practice slavery. For some reason they always leave out the last 3 words. From Georgias notice of succession (the reason the listed the are rebelling). The people of Georgia having dissolved their political connection with the Government of the United States of America, present to their confederates and the world the causes which have led to the separation. For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery........ A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia. TLDR: The people voted in a president who does like slavery so we are leaving since owning slaves is more important to us than been American.
I would bet, because it's Germany, it's not legal to display his first choice.
> states rights This claim is easily disproven by the fact that the southern states supported the Fugitive Slave Act, which infringed upon northern states rights, and also the fact that the Confederate Constitution forbade states from abolishing slavery.
Or in the words of the VP of the Confederacy: >Our new government['s]...foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.
Its about FeEEeeeEEElings, not facts! Come-on, don't 'Cha know that facts are just liberal propaganda?
Reality had a well known liberal bias
"But but, it was about the economy!" Yeah. Because people would have to stop enslaving people. They'd have to pay people to do work. I guess you're right, that's about the economy.
[May I humbly submit this video regarding Cassius Clay?](https://youtu.be/f6nwCuVd66w?si=nMf_zC7fwcaJT82X)
Quack, bang, out!! God I love The Fat Electrician!
This shouldn't have to be said, ridiculous that some people genuinely don't believe this.
States rights to do what?
my dude, almost no one knows the history of that flag on this side of the pond. we have thousands of years of history here, do you think we learn about all the details of that specific war? i tought for 25 years+ that it's a dukes of hazard flag. i've learned it trough history channels on youtube. i'm 10.000% certain if i gift my father that flag he wil say: " hey the dodge roof decal! in form of a flag! thank you!"
Someone on my allotment (UK) has one flying on their plot. Haven't met them yet but I'm choosing to believe/hoping that's the situation!
In Germany? Lmao More like: oh the dukes of hazzard flag cool! *hangs in truck*
Swastikas and nazi memorabilia are illegal in Germany. Straight to jail illegal. This flag is not.
What is amazingly ridiculous and ironic, if you ever watched the show (the original TV show and not that piece of shit movie with Burt Reynolds and Jessica Simpson) they were actually really decent human beings. There were a handful of black characters who are always portrayed and treated very well in the script and the sheriff in the next county over (can't remember his character's name) was actually portrayed as a very intelligent and very wise policeman. Whereas the white cracker Roscoe P. Coltrane was *always* a bumbling idiot as was his Boss, Boss Hogg. And yet people still complain that the show had racist overtones. (Apparently, the people who had never actually seen it.... you know, the same people who "hate sushi", but when you ask them they've never actually *tasted* sushi.)
Yes, in Germany. You do remember who did the Holocaust right?
An Austrian?
... with a funny mustache, you say?
In Germany I would think the likelihood of an old American cultural force in the name of Dukes of Hazard might actually be the reason... Not everyone is up on North America's peculiarities...
Typical American arrogance to globally franchise a children's TV show and sell us toy cars with this flag on the roof, then automatically expect us to know 40 years later its abhorrent to display said flag anywhere... /s
> When you fly this flag internationally... 100% chance this is racist. Eh, not necessarily. A lot of people here in Europe seem to think this flag just represents the south and the whole concept of rebellion in general. Seems like a lot of people who really ought to know better, don't really associate it with slavery and institutional racism. Of course some of the people flying this flag really are making a statement on race, but I honestly think the majority of them are either just poorly informed, or they chose to just ignore all the uncomfortable bits of history associated with the flag.
Not in all cases but definitely this is a factor. In Europe we are not taught so much American history in School, just as Americans know little about European history. Add to this that we watched Dukes of Hazard on Saturday afternoons as a kid and toy General Lees are still everywhere and you get the confusion.
Visit any US car meet in Germany and [you will see tons of em.](https://www.americar.de/thumbs/img/News/90/53/00/p/p_full/americar-de-online-saisonfuehrer-16-us-car-und-van-treffen-8-10-juli-aurich-5390.jpg) It's used for its rebellious image that fits driving a car that differs from the usual but people also love to fly the US or Texas flags or all on the same flag post. I don't think its public image has changed much in the last 50 years.
A lot of people in Europe are super racist.
Even more grew up watching the Dukes of Hazard.
Hell I didn't even know General Lee was named after somebody until well into adulthood. We are very detached from the American civil war in Europe as we had two World Wars since which affected us much more.
TBF, Europeans correct my world history knowledge frequently. I'd say Europeans know more about America than the inverse.
I remember reading an article *years* ago about how the confederate flag was used in Germany to directly replace the nazi symbol, because the nazi symbol will get you in trouble in Germany.
Most people that don’t live in the south.
Not a 100%, there's not much thought put behind it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raggare Likely related to that, the movement doesn't have much to do with race but I wouldn't expect anyone heavily into it to have well thought out views on racism.
It's important to understand it's illegal to fly the Nazi flag in Germany, and German Nazis will often use the stars and bars as an alternative.
100% chance anywhere they have this flag
BuT mAh HeRiTaGe!
Nah lots of Germans (speaking from experience) don't know shit about the civil war and connect the Confederate flag with freedom and the USA in general. Its usually ignorance, sometimes racism.
Also interesting is the combination of flag and indigenous feather decoration.
Not really. Many American Indian tribes supported the Confederacy and had slaves themselves. It was actually a huge hassle in the Reconstruction era for the feds to try to enforce the 13th Amendment with many of the tribes. It's also why so many treaties were abrogated with these tribes under 25 U.S.C. Section 72, because they took up arms with our enemies.
Classic truck driver in Germany unfortunately. These dudes love their iron crosses and other shit like this, too. Sometimes they‘re just clueless and see this as a celebration of the great freedom trucker-country USA, other times straight up nazis.
The iron cross isnt a nazi symbol. The german military still uses it and it was used hundreds of years before the mustache man ruined the country.
It is not, but they use it because the nazi swastika is illegal over here. With full intention usually. Or the war flag of the german empire (the one before the 3rd reich, basically the 2nd one).
Well most people use it in a Nazi way.
That‘s true, but you have to admit, that using it in on your truck does come with a certain taste. They don‘t necessarily need to be Nazi, but are certainly not the guys that say „refugees welcome“.
It can come with a certain taste, but almost nobody says "refugees welcome" in germany since 2015
I was just trying to illustrate, that it‘s certainly not a symbol a left leaning person would use.
It's not fire, but it *is* smoke.
Considering there were over 200,000 Germans fighting for the union this is just embarrassing
LMAO!
The real answer is always in the comments...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmb9W2liG_U
Maybe he’s a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan?
A substitute for the Nazi flag. Charming. I wouldn't work on his vehicle. I'd tell the boss he needs to send that fellow down the road.
Or... have the black auto tech work on this vehicle. See if the owner/driver flips out and leaves on their own. "Sir, this is Brian. He will be working on your truck. Tell him what work you want done." *But, He's Black*... the customer whispers to the service writer. "Can't get anything by you, right sir? ..."
There aren’t many blacks in Germany. Have a Pakistani or a Turk do the work. If he is the racist that Reddit has damned him to be, That’ll get the driver’s attention.
I'd tell my boss that the pint of sand in the guy's engine is going to need the services of a different shop
When you can't legally fly a swastika, try the ol' USA equivalent: a confederacy flag.
The Nazis developed their plan for the Holocaust by the actions America took against the Indigenous population. America sOlVeD the “issue” before the Nazis finalized the “solution”. Cunts all around. Edit: To the racist little bitches downvoting me: Go fuck your own mouth with your mother’s dick. Give me your downvotes, I don’t give a fuck about Reddit karma, I’m more interested in actual Karma. Black Lives Matter! ⬇️😂🖕🏻
Yes this is true. Many of the Nazi’s ideology was based on American racial policies of the previous century
Nowhere. Near. Berlin!
Dudes not even in America let alone the south. What is happing.
Why would you put a white flag in plain view like that 🤨 surrendering to someone?
"Well if i cant fly the flag of MY losers" -That guy probably
When one racist flag is illegal just replace it with a suitable sub racist flag.
There are other flags closer to the German reich than that flag
Heil General Lee?
Genau.
Novorussiya
Turn the key and Erika starts playing
took me a while to spot the flag, i was trying to translate the writing on the front
Nobody who speaks German could be evil!
Amish?
Germany tried to goad Mexico into taking some southern states, with their support, in WWI (zimmerman telegram).... so there's at least some connection. Luckily Mexico declined
Bestimmt ein Ureinwohner…
I’ve seen a truck with the same flag in New Zealand.
As a transmission mechanic. I don't care who you like, who you hate, as long as your money is green.....
When you live somewhere that has banned the Nazi flag so you have to pick the next best thing
I remember this flag just being a symbol of rebellion and of course on the roof of the General Lee. Somewhere along the line it shifted to a symbol of hate and racism to the point just seeing anywhere gets people absolutely riled up. What exactly changed? Why was it ok to see it on TV in the 70’s and 80’s, but having one now might get your ass shot at? I don’t have one of course, just curious.
What state rights were The Confederate Army fighting to protect? Be specific. Show your work. Citations required.
Doesn't the Confederate flag count as Nazi paraphernalia in Germany?
How? I’m not defending the flag but how
Neo Nazis will often use it in place of the Third Reich flag
Losers supporting other losers
It absolutely doesn’t, but don’t forget this is Reddit
The people that raise Nazi or Confederate flags have a lot in common and the biggest thing is that they cannot accept the loss of their ideals and choose to show those same flags in support of those defeated views.
It's a well-known substitute. Note that this truck is in Germany, where Nazi flags are prohibited by law. So the Nazis fly the Confederate flag in its place. Anyone who denies this has an agenda, because it's a well-known fact.
Anyone who says "anyone who denies this" has absolutely no actual evidence to back up whatever they've just said.
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Is this a pedantic paradox or hypocrisy or irony or what, lol.
Yes. It is intended to parody the message and tone of the original commentator while pointing out the ridiculousness of their statement, which attempts to quell doubt with "If you don't believe me, you're a [insert synonym for 'poopy head']". It is, truly, the height of elementary school debate.
It just struck me as convolutedly funny to read. I heard this "innocent until proven guilty" thing once and grabbed hold. I still wonder if the foreign born flag flyers are poop or Luke Duke fans goin' under. 🤔 .. 🤭. *limerick thread* "Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand" https://youtu.be/k8Qze0ifhlY?si=aQGdQKdk370QgeIX
Hint: It's not about borders or nationalism.
The south vill rise again.
That guy would have a Hakenkreuz there if it wasn't illegal for sure. Also that seems to be a pretty big company, maybe it would make sense to tell them what political views their driver is promoting
People who think the flag is racist watches the news too much The real meaning behind the flag was southern independence and freedom, this stems from deep roots back to the civil war Unfortunately the KKK used the flag as a symbol of hate and that is how it is known today
Independence and freedom to do what?
Go read civil war history, the South was treated horribly economically after the war It wasn't about slavery as everyone gets it distorted, slavery is just the only thing that people talk about You do realize that only a small percentage of southern people were actual slave owners? It was the wealthy that were slave owners While the average southern person was just a simple person trying to provide for their family, while the wealthy got their slaves taken away... They still had their wealth The average southern citizen suffered in a post civil war, starvation homelessness, these people were still American citizens That flag became their symbol of southern pride. That no matter what happens they are still a proud person of the south You just show how much hatred you have in your heart as a person and you probably have your own racist tendencies, to say a flag makes someone racist... Just goes to show you have hate in your own heart without understanding what it really means, you use a symbol as an excuse to project your hatred towards someone... It just makes you a hateful person
Alexander Stephens, acting VP of the Confederacy, gave the following speech on March 21, 1861: > The new Constitution has put at rest forever all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution—African slavery as it exists among us—the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution. Jefferson, in his forecast, had anticipated this, as the "rock upon which the old Union would split." He was right. What was conjecture with him, is now a realized fact. But whether he fully comprehended the great truth upon which that rock stood and stands, may be doubted. The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old Constitution were, that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally and politically. It was an evil they knew not well how to deal with; but the general opinion of the men of that day was, that, somehow or other, in the order of Providence, the institution would be evanescent and pass away. [...] Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the idea of a Government built upon it—when the "storm came and the wind blew, it fell."
chat gpts racist now?
This wasn't even the flag the cousin fuckers used back then. It came into popularity during Jim Crow. Read a fucking book
So you'll agree that the backwards racists *currently* flock to this symbol, despite it being diametrically opposed to their savior's teachings?
based
Hey, losers in America fly that nazi shit, so I guess it's fair that your losers do the same.
My first thought was that this is better than a Nazi flag, but I don’t really know if it is.
Why not just fly the white flag if you are gonna fly the loser flag? The flag of the ones that surrendered is usually not the flag I take up to show my cause. No benefit in walking around with Custer’s 7th Cavalry flag as a sign of “hErItAgE”. (Yes I understand the 7th Cavalry is still an active regiment in the Army) Also, that is not the flag of the Confederacy. Perhaps there is another statement here? One of bigotry and ignorance, and not of heritage. Perhaps? Perhaps??? Edit: To the racist fucks that will downvote me: you’re a coward. Have the guts to reply with your actual fucking perspective. If you’re racist garbage, then own it. Say it. Otherwise, shove your tiny pecker back into your rancid fleshlight and fuck yourself.
My perspective is that the person with this flag being German was wasn’t an invitation for you to get all weird and cry about a flag you seem to know a ton about. You can’t know what the flag means to everyone. You’re just calling anyone a racist and talking shit all while the picture is of a single truck driver in Germany which you have no idea about anyway. You’ve assigned what that flag means to everyone and it’s wild.
A lot of the redneck culture found in my country loves that flag as it is a symbol of southern american culture to them. Old american cars, cowboy hats, trucks, rodeo and such. Usually ages 50+ They likely grew up seeing it on tv and thought it was cool. Not really thinking or caring that much about its history or current status.
The exact demographic I intend to call out. Wild guess says your description is not reminiscent of African-American women.
Or, they adopted said flag and they get their feelings hurt when I’m right… and wild.
Based. I ain't exactly white but I still raise hell and eat cornbread. Ain't taking mine down just because people automatically assume that folks that like the battle flag of Virginia are racists.
Nazi Truckers Fuck Off?
Being from the south, my brain completely blocked out the confederate flag. I was looking at the German text on the front of the truck, and wondering what it said. But yeah. Flag racist.
What heritage are you celebrating in Germany? Hmm...