Prince Harry's Afrika Korps Costume: January 2005

[sm1939]

I think it was done in very bad taste ! and he should of know better.

 

[TonyaR]

I agree, he should have known better. But you have to admit, Prince Harry is definitely Fun!

 

[sm1939]

I agree, he should have known better. But you have to admit, Prince Harry is definitely Fun!

Yes have to agree with you there he is fun! !

 

[felicia]

That would depend on who deeply he had actually studied Germany and WWII.

As the theme of the party was something about Africa he might have been fully aware of what he was doing - considering the experiences of members of his family during that war I am sure he knew the distinction ever more than many ordinary people. He had relatives who were committed Nazis - a great-uncle for one but other relatives who hid Jews from the SS and Gestapo - his great-grandmother who has been honoured by the state of Israel for her efforts.

Which great uncle of Harry was a committed Nazi? I hope you are not referring to Edward VIII. And which greatgrandmother was honoured by Israel? And who in the royal family hid Jews?

 

[felicia]

I do agree that it wouldn't be so suitable, but the uniform is very attractive and Harry's red hair would have been a plus.

But the SS operated Auschwitz. If Harry were to wear such a uniform it would just be so evil and distressing to so many people.

 

[felicia]

I have re-read your post and think that you don't understand what the SS was compared to the rest of the German army.

Chrissy I absolutely do understand the difference between the SS and the Afrika Corp, etc. I've studied this stuff a bit too, and watched so many documentaries about it. What I meant in my original post was not that Harry wore a uniform that was worn by those killing in concentration camps, but that he wore a uniform that was worn by those Nazis FIGHTING ON THE SAME SIDE as those committing atrocities in the camps etc. Different divisions, but the same overall cause. Do you see now? It was just shameful that he wore anything Nazi at all. Sheer stupidity is the most likely reason though.

 

[Warren]

And which greatgrandmother was honoured by Israel? And who in the royal family hid Jews?

Prince Philip's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece (neé Alice of Battenberg).

In 1993 a posthumous award to Alice as 'Righteous among the Nations' was approved by the Holocaust Memorial, Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem, recognising that "during the Holocaust period in Europe she had risked her life to save persecuted Jews." The lengthy process of obtaining the medal had been initiated by Freddy Cohen, one of the family Alice had hidden in Athens during WWII.

source: "Alice, Princess Andrew of Greece" by Hugo Vickers ©2000.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Which great uncle of Harry was a committed Nazi? I hope you are not referring to Edward VIII. And which greatgrandmother was honoured by Israel? And who in the royal family hid Jews?

The husband of Prince Philip's sister Sophie (I think his name was Prince Christopher of Hesse. He was killed in action over Italy and she later remarried).

Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Greece, stayed in Athens throughout the war and hid Jews in her home at various times throughout the war.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Chrissy I absolutely do understand the difference between the SS and the Afrika Corp, etc. I've studied this stuff a bit too, and watched so many documentaries about it. What I meant in my original post was not that Harry wore a uniform that was worn by those killing in concentration camps, but that he wore a uniform that was worn by those Nazis FIGHTING ON THE SAME SIDE as those committing atrocities in the camps etc. Different divisions, but the same overall cause. Do you see now? It was just shameful that he wore anything Nazi at all. Sheer stupidity is the most likely reason though.

Had you read my first comment you will see that I believed, from your post that you didn't understand the difference not that you didn't.

You didn't say they were 'fighting on the same side' but rather that he wore the uniform of the SS, which implied to me, very clearly that you didn't understand the difference between the SS and the army and its different units.

Had you given the correct information in the first place (namely that Harry wore the uniform of the Afrika Korps rather than saying her wore the uniform of the SS), which if you have studied the period you would clearly have understood, then I would never have needed to respond. The only similarity in their uniforms is the swastika as the SS wore black and the Afrika Korps wore a light khaki suitable for fighting in the desert.

The SS were definitely NOT the same as the Afrika Korps and to confuse the two is an insult to the highly respected members of that organisation - respected as foes by the men that I know who fought against them, including my great-uncle and many men who were among the famous Rats of Tobruk as well as quite a few who fought against them at el-Alamein and other occasions across the North African desert.

One of these friends now has, as his brother-in-law, a member of this organisation. I only found out on Thursday night at a meeting when we were talking about their war experiences and Klaus was telling us about fighting for Rommel and how much he respected Rommel and his comrades. It was fascinating talking to a man who had been in Germany at that time and his memories - fading now of course as he is in his mid-80s, the sadness of the impact of the Depression and having his father out of work, the hope that Hitler gave the country and when he realised that Hitler wasn't the great man he had thought he was only a couple of years earlier. He said he realised the situation in about late 1943. Until then he thought Hitler was the greatest. I admired Klaus for being an honest man as many Germans from that period seem to always say that they didn't support Hitler at all. He was in the army from 18 and never wanted to do anything else as he wanted to get revenge on the allies for the mistreatment of Germany at the end of WWI - his words not mine. I should have asked him about what he thought of Harry wearing the uniform that he wore with pride for so long but didn't think it was appropriate. He never fought on the western front - actually he was a POW after the allied invasion of Italy and refused to return to Germany after the war and asked to come to Australia as he had the utmost respect for Australian fighting men and he said he wanted to live the rest of his life in the country that produced the best and fairest soldiers he ever fought against. Shortly after arriving here he met his wife and had a bit of trouble getting her father to agree to the match as she had lost two brothers in the North African campaign but when Bill said how much he admired the Afrika Korps as great fighters the father relented and Bill and Klaus have shared many chats about their experiences over the subsequent 58 years.

 

[felicia]

Um Chrissy. Once again I think you have misunderstood. I am not doubting your knowledge about the North Africa campain. But you don't see that I NEVER said Harry wore the SS uniform. I have studied the period and I know a lot more about it all than you would think. The original post I made in this topic was to HRHKimetha who said Harry would LOOK GOOD in a SS uniform. And I said that even so IT WOULD BE VERY INAPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO WEAR IT. I did not say that he wore such a uniform, ever. I know there is a big difference between the ss and the Afrika Korps. Please read my posts in context and stop accusing me of saying things I didn't.

I KNOW I didn't say they were fighting on the same side, that's why I CLEARED IT UP (WHAT I MEANT) in a further post. This is really tiresome how you keep misunderstanding. I NEVER confused the SS with the Afrika Korps, you have just misunderstood all along.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Um Chrissy. Once again I think you have misunderstood. I am not doubting your knowledge about the North Africa campain. But you don't see that I NEVER said Harry wore the SS uniform.

I have re-read the thread and realise that it wasnt' you originally who commented on Harry wearing the SS uniform - my apologies.

I have studied the period and I know a lot more about it all than you would think. The original post I made in this topic was to HRHKimetha who said Harry would LOOK GOOD in a SS uniform. And I said that even so IT WOULD BE VERY INAPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO WEAR IT. I did not say that he wore such a uniform, ever. I know there is a big difference between the ss and the Afrika Korps. Please read my posts in context and stop accusing me of saying things I didn't.

Please accept my apologies for misreading who made the original post.

However I stand by my comment that had you made it clear that he didn't wear an SS uniform but an Afrika Korps uniform I would never have joined the thread. As a history teacher by profession I hate it when people give inaccurate historical information, or imply it and try to set the record straight.

I KNOW I didn't say they were fighting on the same side, that's why I CLEARED IT UP (WHAT I MEANT) in a further post. This is really tiresome how you keep misunderstanding. I NEVER confused the SS with the Afrika Korps, you have just misunderstood all along.

Had you expressed yourself properly in your first post - i.e. made it clear that you knew Harry hadn't worn an SS uniform I would never had jumped into the thread.

Anyway my point is clear - the SS weren't the same as the Afrika Korps and Harry wore the uniform of the Afrika Korps.

I am sorry that I misread the original part of the thread as to who said he wore an SS uniform but I stand by my point that your post wasn't clear and my explanation was therefore justified.

 

[Elspeth]

Right - now we've established who said what, perhaps we could move on?

We've retitled the thread to reflect which uniform he was actually wearing, and I hope that will clear up any confusion about it.

Elspeth

British Royals moderator

 

[BeatrixFan]

I really can't believe people are still on about this...

 

[felicia]

I really can't believe people are still on about this...

Well Believe it. It was just THAT offensive. And there have been a lot of unfortunate misunderstandings. He would have been arrested in some countries for wearing that sign, and not unjustly either. And Chrissy57 I just want to say that I did express myself correctly in my first post, but you did not read the post I quoted that I was replying to, so sorry, but your 'explanation' was therefore not justified.