How to interpret this ...?

[michaelmaltby]

'Someone ordered it': Robbers are raiding Dutch museums, targeting their Nazi memorabilia | National Post

 

[Snautzer01]

It is true. Sadly enough. Private collections and all. And organized. Guns uniforms

 

[GreenKnight121]

Theft-to-order has been a longstanding theme in art thefts (even before WW2) - so no surprise that it is extending to "collectables of questionable status".

By that I do NOT mean that the provenance, or legal ownership of the items is in question - but that the items are not only rare, but illegal to buy/sell in many countries, and that collecting such items is often frowned on by the societies of those nations where it IS legal to buy/sell/possess such items (in the US, admitting that you own "actual Nazi items" usually receives a "why the heck would you own something like that - are you a secret Nazi fan?" sort of reaction).

Therefore, the collectors of such items do have, in many (but not all) cases, a predisposition to secrecy and clandestine transactions - so stepping over the line to illegal acquisitions might seem less-dangerous than it would to someone who has never worked to keep such collecting secret.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Theft-to-order has been a longstanding theme in art thefts (even before WW2) - so no surprise that it is extending to "collectables of questionable status".

By that I do NOT mean that the provenance, or legal ownership of the items is in question - but that the items are not only rare, but illegal to buy/sell in many countries, and that collecting such items is often frowned on by the societies of those nations where it IS legal to buy/sell/possess such items (in the US, admitting that you own "actual Nazi items" usually receives a "why the heck would you own something like that - are you a secret Nazi fan?" sort of reaction).

Therefore, the collectors of such items do have, in many (but not all) cases, a predisposition to secrecy and clandestine transactions - so stepping over the line to illegal acquisitions might seem less-dangerous than it would to someone who has never worked to keep such collecting secret.

Interesting. I've never experienced that in the US before. I collect WW2 uniforms, medals, equipment, etc., and specialize in German stuff. Every time someone finds out they always seen very interested from a historical point if view. I have never personally seem any negativity towards it.