Posted by Two commanders of the Czech rapid reaction brigade are facing disciplinary actions after reports surfaced that they had Nazi symbols on their helmets during their deployment in Afghanistan.
The news, which caused quite a stir among the country’s armed forces, came from the Mlada fronta Dnes daily.
According to the paper, soldiers Hynek Matonoha and Jan Cermak wore the symbols of the 9th SS panzer division Hohenstaufen and the SS Dirlewanger brigade respectively, which were probably the most infamous SS combat units of World War Two.
Cermak said he used the SS symbol simply because it consists of a sword and an “H”, the first letter of his name Honza, which is the colloquial form of Jan.
“It was just a joke and I am very sorry about it,” Cermak told MfD, adding that he didn’t know it was a Nazi symbol.
But specialist in extremism, Michal Mazel, doesn’t believe such an excuse.
“He is an elite troop who graduated from university, he is no teenager. The SS symbols on their helmets show a totally perverse view of the world of the NATO military’s elite troops,” Mazel said.
Loading ...
