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Estonian Official Loses Appeal Over Waffen-SS Emblem Display
A Jõgeva municipal council member, Marko Saksing, lost his appeal and was found guilty by an Estonian court for wearing a shirt with a 'Waffen-SS' emblem at a WWII memorial event in Sinimäe, though his fine was significantly reduced from 600 to 200 euros.
- —A member of the Jõgeva municipal council, Marko Saksing, has lost his appeal against a police fine for wearing a shirt with Nazi symbolism at a memorial event in Sinimäe.
- —Saksing was fined by police on July 26, 2025, for displaying the 'Waffen-SS' emblem during a commemoration for WWII fallen soldiers.
- —The Viru County Court found Saksing guilty but reduced his fine from 600 euros to 200 euros.
- —Saksing, who has attended the Sinimäe events for years and claims to have owned the shirt for over a decade, has been a member of the Centre Party since February 2025, previously belonging to EKRE, the Reform Party, and the People's Union.
Recap
The court's decision against a local politician confirms Estonia's legal intolerance for Nazi symbolism, setting a clear precedent that personal history or long-term habit does not excuse the public display of prohibited emblems. This case underscores the persistent sensitivity surrounding WWII historical memory and the state's enforcement of laws designed to regulate it.