Persecuted refugee claim and banned Nazi uniforms mar the re-enactment eventIt should have been a fun event, that coincided with the Jubilee weekend, where thousands of people gathered to re-enact the Second World War.But it has been blighted by controversy after a Jewish couple claim they were asked by an actor to wear the Star of David and play the role of persecuted refugees.The couple told the Manchester Evening News of their horror when they were allegedly asked to consider wearing the symbol, carrying battered suitcases and looking poor at East Lancashire Railway's Wartime Weekend.Others sparked anger when they wore the symbol of the SS - the Third Reich paramilitary organisation responsible for many wartime atrocities, despite the organisers banning such symbols.One man was allegedly spotted dressed as Hermann Goering, who founded the Gestapo.Last year, the organisers decided to ban Nazi uniforms and other SS regalia for fear of offending people. The ban remained in place this year, although standard German uniforms and swastikas were allowed. Anyone flouting the ban was warned they would be asked to leave the event in Ramsbottom and Bury stations.Merton Paul, who attended the event with his wife Barbara, told the Manchester Evening News of his anger at being asked to dress like a refugee to give the event another dimension.He said it was "completely disrespectful to the six million Jews and other people who were killed at the hands of the Nazis" to see people in those uniforms.The couple, from Broughton, Salford, had previously attended the Wartime Weekend and regard it as a good way to remember the sacrifice made by the British during the Second World War.He pointed out that the SS weren't on British soil and the only Germans likely to have been seen over here in uniforms were prisoners of war.His wife said some of her great aunts and uncles were murdered in the concentration camps and one of her mother's cousins was shot in front of her family. She, too, was upset that the re-enactors were wearing Nazi regalia.Andy Morris, the railway's general manager, said the staff had actively checked costumes during the three-day event and asked people to remove or conceal offending items."I think it's appropriate that we offer our sincerest apologies to any of our visitors or those in the community that this incident has upset," he said. "I can state quite categorically that measures will be put in place to ensure such things do not happen again."Officials from the Greater Manchester Jewish Representative Council lobbied organisers over the costumes and complained about some, including an incident where a jeep was draped in a red swastika flag.Frank Baigel, of the GRJC, said there's no place for Nazi uniforms or German uniforms at such re-enactments. "It's an insult to the memory of both Holocaust survivors and British soldiers who died in the Second World War," he said. "It's unbelievable that people in this day and age feel it's appropriate to strut around in German uniforms."Michelle Wiseman, a Bury councillor who has campaigned on the issue, described the situation at the moment as a half-way house. She said the people who dress up don't realise the offence they cause - not only to the Jewish people in Bury but to the many veterans who fought in the war and were in German POW camps.In a statement, the ELR said they are extremely disappointed that a handful of re-enactors invited to the 1940s Weekend "have seen fit to blatantly disregard our request to not represent the more distasteful elements associated with the German and Axis forces during the Second World War.""We identified a few individuals over the weekend who were obviously intent on ignoring our appeal and they were asked to either obscure the offending article or to leave. In each case they were happy to comply."The railway went to a good deal of effort to make clear its policy on controversial uniforms and insignia, employing additional security staff. "We are saddened by what has happened and we now need to take a serious look at whether a complete ban on German and Axis representation at future events is necessary," it added.TransportRail transportLancashireSecond world warHelen Carterguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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