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Wolfenstein already was censored like hell by the publisher, but there was one tiny pixel Swastika left one some texture that "caused" the ban of the game in Germany.

There it is: http://www.schnittberichte.com/www/SBs/5982811/haken.jpg (My very first slashdot attack)

The german authorities are crazy like shit after stuff like this. It's not even funny in its pathetic way anymore. They even did go after kids that used crossed out Swastikas that where intended to be simbols agains Nazis...

And please, after reading this do not belive that german authorities do anything agains real Nazis!

> not a big fat swastika but some more obscure symbols. [...]
> I know I wouldn't stand for it. I recognize the horrors of my own country and we will forever keep things like slavery and repression in general in front and center of our attention -- a mandatory history lesson -- so that we never repeat those mistakes.

Actually, it was a Swastika.
The SS insignia are hardly obscure, especially to Germans, because they learned about those symbols in school in mandatory history lessons, which you so kindly suggested.

May I point out a certain point of the law, which might have slipped your eye:

(3) Subsection (1) shall not be applicable if the means of propaganda or the act serves to further civil enlightenment, to avert unconstitutional aims, to promote art or science, research or teaching, reporting about current historical events or similar purposes.

Here's a huge list of screenshots of differences between uncensored and german version

Wow how did you ever find that link? Did you actually read the summary or something?

The interesting thing now is if they're gonna remove that texture, remaster, repackage and send the new ones to all stores again, even more so because the game is over an month old now and the best sales are already gone.

German law Strafgesetzbuch Section 86:

Dissemination of Means of Propaganda of Unconstitutional Organizations (1) Whoever domestically disseminates or produces, stocks, imports or exports or makes publicly accessible through data storage media for dissemination domestically or abroad, means of propaganda: 1. of a party which has been declared to be unconstitutional by the Federal Constitutional Court or a party or organization, as to which it has been determined, no longer subject to appeal, that it is a substitute organization of such a party; [...] 4. means of propaganda, the contents of which are intended to further the aims of a former National Socialist organization, shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine. [...] (3) Subsection (1) shall not be applicable if the means of propaganda or the act serves to further civil enlightenment, to avert unconstitutional aims, to promote art or science, research or teaching, reporting about current historical events or similar purposes. [...] Section 86a StGB Use of Symbols of Unconstitutional Organizations (1) Whoever: 1. domestically distributes or publicly uses, in a meeting or in writings (Â 11 subsection (3)) disseminated by him, symbols of one of the parties or organizations indicated in Section 86 subsection (1), nos. 1, 2 and 4; or 2. produces, stocks, imports or exports objects which depict or contain such symbols for distribution or use domestically or abroad, in the manner indicated in number 1, shall be punished with imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine. (2) Symbols, within the meaning of subsection (1), shall be, in particular, flags, insignia, uniforms, slogans and forms of greeting. Symbols which are so similar as to be mistaken for those named in sentence 1 shall be deemed to be equivalent thereto.

Note: I do not agree with the German governments staunch policy against symbols but they're free to govern as they see fit (pending the EU's approval). If they want to keep selling the game in Germany, they might want to uphold German laws. I don't know how many gamers are in Germany but they have a population of about 82 million and I think that it's a safe bet some "texture, remaster, repackage" can be afforded for that market.

Apparently this is the reason that it has to be pulled from the market. I don't know about you but I find the rationale for this type of censorship to be utterly absurd. So much for free speech.....

Here's a huge list of screenshots of differences between uncensored and german version

Some of the changes I found a little fun too, like the hand.

It's also interesting that the game is 18+ and germans are still not allowed to see any blood.

Here's the texture they apparently forgot to modify.

Seeing how many changes to the game and to the textures they've had to do, I'm not that surprised something that small slipped in.

The interesting thing now is if they're gonna remove that texture, remaster, repackage and send the new ones to all stores again, even more so because the game is over an month old now and the best sales are already gone.

Here's a huge list of screenshots of differences between uncensored and german version

Some of the changes I found a little fun too, like the hand.

It's also interesting that the game is 18+ and germans are still not allowed to see any blood.

Here's the texture they apparently forgot to modify.

Seeing how many changes to the game and to the textures they've had to do, I'm not that surprised something that small slipped in.

The interesting thing now is if they're gonna remove that texture, remaster, repackage and send the new ones to all stores again, even more so because the game is over an month old now and the best sales are already gone.

Here's a huge list of screenshots of differences between uncensored and german version

Some of the changes I found a little fun too, like the hand.

It's also interesting that the game is 18+ and germans are still not allowed to see any blood.

Here's the texture they apparently forgot to modify.

Seeing how many changes to the game and to the textures they've had to do, I'm not that surprised something that small slipped in.

The interesting thing now is if they're gonna remove that texture, remaster, repackage and send the new ones to all stores again, even more so because the game is over an month old now and the best sales are already gone.

http://www.schnittberichte.com/sw.php Although this is in german, the pictures speak for themselves. They also have Episode 1 as well as Episode 4/5/6.