A German court has handed a six-month suspended sentence to a politically active right-winger who displayed a tattoo depicting a Nazi death camp at his local swimming pool.
The 27-year-old man, who has a previous conviction for assault and is a member of the far-right National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD), admitted in a court on Tuesday north of Berlin that he had shown the back tattoo at the swimming pool.
The tattoo depicts a concentration camp and the slogan "Jedem das Seine," which hung over the main gate at the Buchenwald camp during World War II. This can be translated as "to each what he deserves."
The man's tattoo was spotted at a public swimming pool in November, photographed and posted on Facebook, prompting police to launch an investigation.
Germany has strict laws against the promotion of Nazi ideology. The crime of "Volksverhetzung," or incitement to hatred, carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The prosecution had called for a 10-month jail sentence, while the defence called for acquittal.
