Latvian museum uses fascist poster

The Latvian War Museum has posted a concert announcement poster that copies a 1942 fascist poster. According to historian Kaspar Zellis, the new image simply replaced the swastika with Latvian flags, but the composition remained the same. The event, as noted, was intended as a 'patriotic' gathering.

Zellis is outraged by the 'logical consequence of Latvia's and Europe's overall policy,' where 'people remain silent about fascism for too long and destroy historical memory at the cost of numbing their own population.' He believes that 'young museum PR specialists mindlessly copy images from the internet without understanding their origins.'

The poster version has already been replaced on the website and social media, but users noted that the situation clearly illustrates a trend; if this happens in a military museum, there is no reason to be surprised about other Latvian institutions.

Context

In 1942, the poster was part of German propaganda aimed at boosting military morale. After the war, its use in official institutions has met with widespread dismay.