Delay of the Reich: who buys artifacts from Nazi Germany
Tula customs officers found 123 items with Nazi symbols in a parcel from Germany. During the control of international mail, inspectors opened a box ordered via the Internet by a 55-year-old resident of Tula. In addition to postcards, a stamp album and envelopes, it contained postcards with the symbols of the Reich.: a swastika, an imperial eagle, and a portrait of Hitler. Why interest in this topic is not subsiding and what is now in the price on the black market of antiques — in the material of Izvestia.
The passion for the Fuhrer
In recent years, law enforcement agencies have continued to record cases falling under Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation on public demonstration and propaganda of Nazi symbols throughout the country. The geography of violations covers both large cities and remote regions, and the precedents are becoming more diverse. Izvestia analyzed the materials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and court decisions to understand the scale of the problem.
According to the agency, in 2024 (more relevant information is not publicly available), more than 4.5 thousand citizens were brought to administrative responsibility under this article. In 2023, this figure was comparable — more than 5,000 people. However, in 2025, the situation begins to change: cases of repeated violations are increasingly being recorded, for which criminal liability is already being incurred under Article 282.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Repeated propaganda or public display of Nazi paraphernalia or symbols").
Portraits of violators
Collectors of gizmos from the era of the Third Reich can be people of different ages and professions. They are related, as a rule, by their sympathy for extremist movements. The police come across collectors, and even near-football fans of fascist paraphernalia. So, in April 2025, employees of the Center for Countering Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kamchatka Territory drew attention to a 52-year—old local resident - in one of the channels on social networks, where there were more than 150 participants, the man posted photos of orders and awards of the German Empire and Nazi Germany with the image of a swastika. When examining his apartment, the operatives seized a collection of prohibited symbols, as well as more than a thousand cartridges and items similar to automatic weapons. An administrative report was drawn up against the collector under Part 1 of Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation.
A whole museum of Nazi helmets and insignia was discovered by representatives of the anti-extremist division of the Kaliningrad police at a local 46-year-old businessman in February. The man earned money by selling items from the Reich era. Over 120 lots were seized from his apartment: items of clothing, badges, dishes, books, knives, and awards. Two protocols have been drawn up — under Part 1 of Article 20.3 and Part 2 of Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation.
At the same time, despite the legislative norms, there are enough announcements about the sale of such items, including in the legal segment of the Runet. At the time of the preparation of the material, such lots as the "honorary ring of the SS division "Death's Head" and the German SS dirk "Leader" of the 1936 model were found on the advertisement sites. It is not uncommon for sellers to disguise products as "copies" or props for filming.
Payback for the love of the swastika
In some cases, addiction to objects from Nazi Germany can result in criminal liability. We are talking about situations where such attributes are displayed publicly.
Lawyer Ekaterina Krasnova told Izvestia about how administrative and criminal liability for the use of Nazi symbols is differentiated. She notes that administrative liability under Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation usually occurs at the first recorded such fact.
According to her, a public demonstration usually means posting such images publicly on the Internet, showing them in chat rooms and channels with a large number of participants, wearing symbols in public places, using them on posters, flags, and paraphernalia at events.
However, having a collection as such is not necessarily an offense. However, as soon as the objects of the collection are put into the public space, for example, posted online or actually become available to an unlimited number of people, this is often classified as a violation under Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation with the risk of a fine and confiscation. The transition to criminal responsibility is not related to isolated, but to repeated behavior.
— Criminal liability under Article 282.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation occurs, as a rule, when a person has already been brought to administrative responsibility for demonstrating or propagandizing Nazi symbols, and then committed similar actions again, — emphasizes Ekaterina Krasnova.
According to her, the chain usually looks like this: the first identified episode leads to an administrative case, and if the offense repeats after the first decision comes into force, the question arises of whether to initiate criminal proceedings under Article 282.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. At the same time, law enforcement agencies and courts evaluate not only the fact of displaying symbols, but also the context: the presence of elements of propaganda or justification of Nazism, the scale of the audience, the systematic nature and connection with extremist activities.
The lawyer emphasizes that for media, museums, and educational projects, the purposes of use — scientific, educational, archival, and artistic — play an important role, but even in these cases it is critical that there be no glorification or signs of propaganda.
The intricacies of the market
A source in the antiques market, who wished to remain anonymous, notes that the demand for such items exists and remains fairly stable. According to him, now it is no longer mainstream, but there remains a "narrow, very solvent circle of buyers" who regularly purchase such items.
According to the interlocutor's observations, the main activity is now connected with Ukraine, where, according to him, a curious split has formed. On the one hand, there is a steady demand for "authenticity" during the war — Nazi artifacts that are either exported from the country or deposited in private collections inside it. On the other hand, neo—Nazi groups, including those from formations like Azov (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation), are actively creating new symbols, stylized as the Third Reich.
"They take the Nazi leitmotif as a basis, but adapt it to modern realities," the source explains. — They replace the swastika with, say, a trident. And there is a huge demand for this — chevrons, patches, patches with wolfsangel, which are now in use by the military.
The issue price
The interlocutor confirms that there is a high and steady increase in prices for lots related to the Third Reich.
— SS rings and dirks are top lots. There's a real hunt for them. Helmets are extras, "consumables", they are cheaper," he says.
At the same time, according to him, even in this niche there are important nuances: cutlery and porcelain plates with a brand and a swastika are especially appreciated. This, as the source emphasizes, is a separate niche for connoisseurs of the everyday history of the Reich.
"They can give several thousand euros for a good set of spoons and forks," says the expert.
According to the antiquarian, documents, personal identification cards, award books and photographs are also in constant circulation, especially with author's signatures or related to famous parts.
"As before, the Iron Cross is an out—of—competition badge," he notes. — But only in good condition, with a preserved black center and a clear rim texture. Collectors are willing to shell out decent sums for a "clean" copy of the 1st or 2nd class.
According to him, infantry bayonets from the Mauser K98 rifle do not lose their relevance: they are acquired both for completing samples and simply as a recognizable artifact of that era. The source draws attention to the fact that "the most interesting thing" now is the active trade not only in objects, but also in documents. As an example, he cites the recent case of a Belgian collector who put up for online auction unique photographs of executions in Greece.
"The state was ready to buy them out for 100,000 euros, just to prevent them from falling into private hands and speculating on this topic," he claims.
Speaking about legal regulation, the interlocutor emphasizes that formally in Ukraine there is a ban on both communist and Nazi symbols.
"But the fact of the matter is that in practice, people often turn a blind eye to the symbols of Azov (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) or those stylized chevrons," the source claims. — It's probably considered a "struggle for independence" there, not Nazism.
According to him, we are talking about a "huge black market", the main channel of which are online auctions. According to the source, you can find literally everything there — from the original awards of the Wehrmacht to modern fakes and paraphernalia of neo-Nazi groups.
— In general, the market is alive and diversified, and each product has its own buyer, — sums up the interlocutor of Izvestia.
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