Fake Militaria

[dandan66]

Just heard back from support and it seems as Ebid grows they are adopting Ebay's model pretty closely... they have offered some helpful clarifications:

"We recognize the historical significance of World War II and that there are many militaria collectors around the world.

In essence, do not post anything that is Nazi related. This includes books or items that were owned by or affiliated with the following Nazi leaders:

- Martin Bormann
- Joseph Goebbels
- Hermann Göring (Goering)
- Rudolf Heß (Hess)
- Reinhard Heydrich
- Heinrich Himmler
- Adolf Hitler
- Wilhelm Bodewin Johann Gustav Keitel
- Alfred Rosenberg
- Julius Streicher

Jewish identification (armbands, Star of David)
Nazi issued documents (passports, travel papers)
Anti-Nazi items (such as the Hitler pin cushion)
Battlefield, concentration camp, or war victim photos (even if the image contains dead bodies)

Propaganda postcards with images of Nazi leaders or pro-Nazi text
1936 Olympic medals
Uniforms, uniform components, weapons, or other items that bear the Nazi swastika or SS runes
De-Nazi-fied items (items that originally had a swastika or SS runes that have been removed)
Listings where images are edited or cropped to try and hide Nazi markings or insignia

We have a policy that is there to protect us as a venue.

If items or indeed a seller is reported we will review.
Listings that are deemed unsuitable will be removed. Items that are deemed ok will remain.
Items that we are not sure about will be removed subject to further evaluation.

Removal, or temporarily suspension of the member is at the description of the support team member reviewing the items/s or user reported.

Best Wishes
eBid Support Team"

Sound familiar?
At least we are not left in the dark any longer. Ebid is not a venue for German WWII items! I hope this response has helped -- it has me.

DanDan

[dandan66]

From Ebid's printed rules (#29)... "you should be aware that you are ultimately responsible for making sure that the buying or selling of an item is legal in the eyes of the law"

So, if the items are not against the law to buy and sell in a specific country and we are "ultimately responsible" then why not allow us to sell them in these countries where no wrong is being done...?

I had a relative that sold his entire German WWII collection piece by piece on Ebid about a 1.5 years ago. It is obvious that Ebid is NOW spooked and has perhaps buckled to a little "My-lawyer-can-beat up-your-lawyer" pressure...

How silly of me, if I locked my kids in the closet and then told them they are "ultimately responsible" for feeding the dogs and taking them outside to use the bathroom! Is not an individual responsible or irresponsible only after he is first given the freedom to act in such a way? Allow us the right to sell German WWII items in and to only those countries that see no wrong in doing so! Come on Ebid... Don't strive to be like Ebay! ... be real, be different, be better than Ebay. Be willing to do what the others are not willing to do and you have a formula for success!

[deltadelta48]

Wish every auction banned these items. I am sick of sitting thru local auctions watching people drool over Nazi flags, metals, etc. Very apparent they are not buying to preserve history but out of admiration.

ebid has trading partners who do not allow those items to be sold. Running them anyway is not the answer. A site's success comes from selling many items, and a site has the right to say no to guns, knives, Nazi items if that is what it wants or what its trading partners want. Plenty of other places to buy and sell Nazi stuff. And guns. And knives, but not here.

[dandan66]

"A site's success comes from selling many items..."

That's exactly what I'm saying!.... "A site's success comes from selling many items..."

[JaBek1]

I believe it was Eisenhower that insisted on photographic documentation of the atrocities that the allies uncovered. While I think that many would prefer that that portion of human history be left to fade from memory, I believe that it is essential that the evidence of such inhumanity is preserved and made available to future generations.

Whether or not eBid is should permit the sale of such artifacts is something that the administration of the site must decide. While I can see where it would be a sensitive issue with many on both sides, I don't see where the artifacts themselves are inherently evil.

If I'm not mistaken, there are many symbols that, to some, are signs of evil or dark forces. If we follow the reasoning that anything that may be offensive to some should be prohibited from being available to any, we prohibit the free exchange of ideas and hinder our ability to understand and learn from history.

Dennis

[dandan66]

If we follow the reasoning that anything that may be offensive to some should be prohibited from being available to any, we prohibit the free exchange of ideas and hinder our ability to understand and learn from history.

Dennis

Well said!

[SUPERBUY]

Wish every auction banned these items. I am sick of sitting thru local auctions watching people drool over Nazi flags, metals, etc. Very apparent they are not buying to preserve history but out of admiration.

ebid has trading partners who do not allow those items to be sold. Running them anyway is not the answer. A site's success comes from selling many items, and a site has the right to say no to guns, knives, Nazi items if that is what it wants or what its trading partners want. Plenty of other places to buy and sell Nazi stuff. And guns. And knives, but not here.

So if we get this set up and you are not presented with these items you would be happy right. OK. Now if I were offended by your Catholic or Christian cross or your brunette hair or your children in my neighborhood would it be right to have them removed because I didn't like it?

OK so I was being silly with my compairison but you get the point. It would never stop. Fortunatly, you have the right to look the other way, the right to not shop on that site or in that store. You have the right to tell others not to shop their if you like, but they have the right to decide whats right for them as well.

If the basic freedoms of the USA offend you, then maybe you should move to one of the middle east nations who have very strict rules of conduct. Take the good with the bad its all part of Freedom.

Just my 2 cents. So don't flame me for it.

[Gothicina]

So, if the items are not against the law to buy and sell in a specific country and we are "ultimately responsible" then why not allow us to sell them in these countries where no wrong is being done...?

Because there's always somebody who thinks the rules don't apply to them, or are too lazy to check, or are too ignorant to care.

That's why eBid had to change the rules on listing "Adult DVD's" & the ones on knives, because ultimately ignoring rules like that can jeopardise the entire site.

[LaCajaRoja]

I can see the basic points of both sides, though I tend to side with free expression. It seems, however, to be a moot point here on eBid as I just now took a quick look at the Militaria category and there are Nazi things and swastikas everywhere.

Being an avid student of history I see no problem as long as there is no active attempt to promote an odious political agenda. I try to collect anything I can find from the Mexican Revolución of 1910 even though I'm sure I must be offending someone from one or more of the many sides of that conflict.