Germany To Redesign Number 4 On Jerseys To Shake Off Nazi Connotations
Photo 204378966 © Butenkow | Dreamstime.com
Germany’s national soccer team is making subtle but significant changes to a sight four sore eyes on its jerseys. The redesign comes after concerns were raised that the design, particularly when viewed as a double-four, resembled a symbol used by the Nazi SS.
The new kit, unveiled during a 2-0 victory over France last month, featured the original number design. However, the German Football Association (DFB) announced a overhaul following criticism over its resemblance to Nazi imagery.
The SS (Schutzstaffel) was the notorious paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, implicated in horrific atrocities during World War II.
Its emblem, two stylized lightning bolts forming a sig rune, has been a potent symbol of hate and violence since its adoption by the Nazi regime. The SS runes can look similar to a small “44,” with the DFB acknowledging the potential for misinterpretation, particularly for younger generations unfamiliar with the horrors of the Holocaust.
Away kit debut: pending ðŸ”#DFBTeam #GERNED
— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) March 26, 2024
📸 DFB/Philipp Reinhard pic.twitter.com/eIxovXju3X
This decision comes amid a growing awareness in Germany of the importance of confronting its Nazi past. Educational initiatives and memorials have played a crucial role in keeping the memory of this dark period alive.
On X (formerly Twitter), the DFB emphasized that a thorough review process took place during the design phase, and that it had indeed checked all numerals from zero to nine and submitted the final set (one to 26) to UEFA, the sport’s governing body in Europe. No resemblance to Nazi symbolism was identified at any stage, the DFB maintained.
Photo 251729955 © Vitalii Kliuiev | Dreamstime.com
However, as it takes fan feedback seriously and does not wish to create an unwitting platform for discussion about Nazi symbolism, the DFB has decided to develop an alternative design for the number four, in collaboration with UEFA.
Adidas, which has been producing Germany’s kits since the 1950s, initially blocked the option for fans to personalize jerseys with the number 44 on its online store. It later went further, banning the sale of all personalized kits altogether.
Talking to news agency dpa, Adidas spokesperson Oliver Brüggen reiterated the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, emphasizing its active stance against discrimination and hatred as a brand of workers from about 100 countries. “Any attempts to promote divisive or exclusionary views are not part of our values as a brand.”
Brüggen clarified that Adidas is not responsible for the design of names and numbers on the jerseys, which falls under the purview of the DFB and 11teamsports. Regardless, the sportswear giant adheres to its zero-tolerance policy towards symbols linked to hate and violence.
[via Reuters, Pro Soccer Wire, Footy Headlines, images via various sources]
