Jewish council head wants Nazi trade banned

New Zealand Jewish Council president Stephen Goodman says he would personally like to see the trade in Nazi memorabilia outlawed following internet auction site TradeMe's decision to ban the sale of such goods.

While it is legal to sell Nazi memorabilia in New Zealand, Mr Goodman said the trade in such goods was something the Jewish community found offensive and would prefer didn't happen.

"Personally I would prefer it was illegal, as it is in a number of other countries, but I can see how others may consider that to be an infringement of personal rights to own property.

"The laws of the land allow various things to happen and we support the laws of New Zealand," he said.

Mr Goodman said the Jewish community was not in favour of people making a profit out of what happened under the Nazi regime.

"I think that's the issue really, the commercialisation of what happened."

The trading of Nazi memorabilia had been an ongoing issue, Mr Goodman said.

"What happened is a part of history, and is something we shouldn't forget ... but we don't want people creating a business out of it."

Wellington Antique shop owner David Harcourt, who wanted to sell items on TradeMe used in the Third Reich such as medals, badges, hats and weapons, said he respected the company's decision.

"They can make their rules and that's fine," said Mr Harcourt, who is an active member of TradeMe.

"Somebody came to me with a large collection of stuff and asked me to sell it for him, and I don't have a problem with it."

Mr Harcourt said he did not promote Nazi-ism.

"All these bans do is give Nazi-ism a glamour that it doesn't have. Like any kind of banning behaviour, it attaches an excitement and dangerous quality that it just doesn't have.

"If there was anything in these items saying Nazi-ism is a good thing, I wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm not interested in Nazi-ism," he said.

TradeMe business manager Mike O'Donnell said the issue was "pretty much a no-brainer".

"We are very light handed in the regulation of the site, but there are certain things that we don't want as part of our online community and we don't want TradeMe to be known as the place where you go to buy your SS badges or your Hitler Youth uniform."

This was the first time the issue had come up in TradeMe's six years of operation, Mr O'Donnell said.

"While it is legal to sell Nazi items, we made a decision after consultation with our community that that wasn't something we wanted there ... if other people want to provide the facility to sell Nazi memorabilia, then that's fine."

- NZPA