My son (8 yrs old) has to wear something medieval-themed to a meet-up next weekend. So all the parents have to quickly put something simple together for their kids to match that theme (how nice of them to give us only one-week's notice ).

So I began to make something to resemble a medieval knight and was trying to use some kind of emblem for the front of the the shirt -- something similar to what I saw in knight's costumes for kids online.

I had done a Google search for "medieval cross" and came across the design in the photo below. It said that it's the cross of the Knight's Templar. So I cut it out (chose to do it in red on a white shield background) and was just about to sew it onto the shirt when it occurred to me that it is very similar to the "Iron Cross," which I believe is affiliated with Nazis. So now I'm thinking that perhaps I should try to find a different cross or emblem to use on the front of the shirt? What do you think? I just wouldn't want to offend anyone or use something that people might instinctively associate with Nazis. My son will be wearing this on a three-hour train ride.

Hopefully I'm just needlessly worrying, but I thought I better get some opinions before I sew it. Thanks.

I believe the Nazis stole that cross idea from the Templars.

But theirs is black, yours is red, like a proper templar cross.

Cool sewing!

Regards


Ian

Only those who do not know will associate it with nazi's, it is a "cross pattèe" indeed used by some German army parts, and used by many other army's, painters, kings/queens, arms etc...

Your boy will be fine, since association is mostly done by full appearance, if he'd be 20yrs old, wears Dr. Martens, skinny light blue jeans, a bomber jacket and shaves his head it is a whole different picture than an 8 yr old boy with a costume.

If you would sew on a black sun, sun cross, SS bolts or such, than it be clearly wrong since those and many others have become polluted symbolics.

Thank you so much!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_patt%C3%A9e

As long as you don't depict a white man standing on the devil's head, you should be fine.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/120004...-george-floyd/

Even if your kiddo were a lil' templar Nazi, I doubt that anybody would bother with him, since he's a kid. Just to be on the safe side, why don't you make him a little knight's helmet to go along with the shirt?

The black Eisernes Kreuz https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisernes_Kreuz predates the Nazi era and is still part of the German Bundeswehr emblem https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundeswehr

It's association with Nazi is more due the fact that the Eiserne Kreuz is a war time medal. that the Nazi era was mostly war time, and that the Imperial Reichskriegsflagge which shows it is one of the only black-white-red banners of the old time which is not outright forbidden by the German § 86a StGB as it was not used during Nazi era. Thus it is used by Nazis.

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I read a book not long ago written by a neuroscientist, and in it, he said that "our brains are association machines." I think that -- in your link -- is a perfect example of the ways our minds can deceive us (similar to when someone sees an image of Christ in their pancakes or something).

I actually had wanted to make him something more to go with the long shirt and belt -- either a helmet or a sword made of foam or cardboard -- but wasn't so sure how to go about making a knight's helmet.

Cardboard and tinfoil. Or get a BK crown and decorate it with some tinfoil. There are some avid experts pertaining to tinfoil headwear on this here forum.
For the sword, you can cut a pool noodle in half and then use one half to make the crossbar of the handle. Depending on whether you're going deep into enemy territory, you could always superglue razorblades to the spongy blade.

We can give you a wooden sword and shield...
PM me if you would like it. We're in Adliswil but I'm happy to meet up over the weekend to give it to you.

Thank you so much for the offer! But I don't think he's going to be able to carry a wooden sword or shield with him very easily, as they're going hiking in the mountains. Also, I think I'd worry about any of the kids being accidentally hurt while messing around. But thank you again!

Ha haa.
Do you think a crown would be okay to go with it (as a knight's outfit?). I had already thought about making a crown and had printed out a template for one that I found online. But then I wasn't sure if knight's ever wore crowns.
Good idea for the pool noodle as part of a sword. Donkey shane! I'll see if I can make that work.

Do not forget two halfs of a coconut.

AFAIK the black version (Ok, something extremely similar) stems from the Prussians and was adopted by the Deutsche Reich. It may have been used by the Wehrmacht (military) of Hitler's 3rd Reich as well, but IMO it's not associated with the Nazis. It's still in use today, for instance by the German airforce of the Bundeswehr.

Don't worry, apparently anything goes here.

I give you Richard the Lionheart:

Oooh. Nice! Thanks!

For ... ?

Who was of course the great great great great great great grandfather of...

...Eddie Izzard