Fury as Nazi flags and SS armbands spotted up for grabs at 'nostalgic' 1940s weekend

By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER Published: 23:45, 20 August 2026 | Updated: 23:52, 20 August 2026 Campaigners have called out the 'galling' sight of Nazi flags, SS armbands and swastikas that were freely on sale at a council-organised 1940s event.  Thousands turned out for the annual Lytham 1940s Weekend, held in Fylde, Lancashire, last Saturday and Sunday. Now in its 15th year, organisers Fylde Council promised an event seeking to 're-live the 1940s wartime era with singing, dancing, weapons displays, historic vehicles, military charities and vintage traders.' But photographs from the event reveal questionable items being touted to the public, that include replicas of armbands and symbols worn by Nazi officers. One of the images shows a black band emblazoned with a skull and crossbones - the symbol of the Totenkopf or Death's Head Division, a Nazi paramilitary unit tasked with guarding the brutal regime's concentration and extermination camps. A separate image shows a sign featuring a Nazi eagle and used by the Kripo, the regime's criminal police force which became a central enforcer of Nazi terror and persecution.  It is illegal to sell Nazi memorabilia in parts of Europe including Germany, France and Austria, but not in the UK.  However major auction houses and online marketplaces generally refuse to trade any Nazi-linked items for ethical reasons.  Campaigners have called out the 'galling' sight of Nazi flags, SS armbands and swastikas that were freely on sale at the Lytham 1940s Weekend The items included a black band emblazoned with a skull and crossbones - the symbol of the Totenkopf or Death's Head Division, a Nazi paramilitary unit tasked with guarding the regime's concentration and extermination camps Also on sale was a sign used by the Kripo, the regime's criminal police force which became a central enforcer of Nazi persecution Advocacy group Campaign Against Antisemitism described the items on sale as  'grotesque' - and said it would be writing to the council over the matter. A spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'Nazi memorabilia is not a quaint, nostalgic souvenir of the past.  'These items were part of a military apparatus involved in the extermination of six million Jewish men, women, and children. 'Even more galling, the website's visitor information asks attendees not to wear 'anything that might offend others' or 'anything associated with the more extreme elements of the Nazi regime.'  'So why is Lytham 1940s Weekend permitting the sale of hate symbols?' They added:  'These items belong in a museum, not in the hands of collectors who stand to profit from the symbols of a genocide.  'The sale of hate symbols must carry repercussions.' Daily Mail has contacted Fylde Council for comment. In 2021, BBC Bargain Hunt expert Tim Weeks came under fire for trading in Nazi memorabilia at his auction house. He was urged to explain why items including a £2,000 Third Reich banner, a £300 swastika and a collection of badges were put on sale at his Wessex Auction Rooms. Sam Armstrong, of counter-terrorism think-tank the Henry Jackson Society, warned of the dangers of selling such products.  He said: 'We know that a prime market for these vile symbols are the far-Right thugs who wish to attack this country and those who live in it.' The Board of Deputies of British Jews described the sale at the time as 'distressing, disturbing and hugely disrespectful'. Mr Weeks apologised and withdrew the Nazi memorabilia from the auction after being contacted by Daily Mail. Last year, a Scottish auction house defended its sale of Nazi memorabilia due to its historical importance – before making a U-turn and promising never to sell such items again.  McTear's in Glasgow listed several items including paper bunting bearing the swastika emblem, an 'SS type Dress Dagger' and a set of silverware purportedly owned by high-profile Nazi Hermann Goering, which was said to have been taken from his personal train dining car. A spokesman for McTear's said at the time: 'On occasion, our auctions, like many others across the world, have included a small number of items relating to Nazi Germany, which have always been handled with sensitivity. 'It is important to note that these historical artefacts provide a tangible link to an important – albeit extremely dark – era in our history that should never be forgotten. 'That said, we fully understand the sensitivity surrounding the sale of these particular historical items and have now taken the decision to cease the inclusion of Nazi and SS artefacts in future auctions.'