# Dust Bowl Swastikas **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475 "2012-11-19T04:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/1 "2012-11-19T04:56:17Z")
So, I’m watching _The Dust Bowl_ on PBS, and right at 8:35, there’s a picture of some store or something in OK with what looks like a thermometer (but it’s probably something else) with a Swastika on it and the word “Swastika” written above it. Anybody else notice this? Anybody have any idea what this is all about? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/2 "2012-11-19T05:10:03Z")
A [swastika](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika) was merely a South Asian good luck symbol, very popular at the time. I saw the thermometer, too. There’s a big office building in Chicago (360 N. Michigan), built in the late 1920s, whose ground-floor frieze is decorated with swastikas. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/3 "2012-11-19T05:21:38Z")
[Swastika Fuel Company](http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/swastika-fuel-co.-wood-thermometer:-5x21-by-the-1-c-0540384584), from a google search. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/4 "2012-11-19T05:24:07Z")
It was also used in Native American art, which is why the early 20th century American West was positively swarming with buildings with swastika motifs, especially in states with high Native American populations like Oklahoma. ([Obligatory long ridiculously-specific Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_use_of_the_swastika_in_the_early_20th_century#As_a_Native_American_symbol)) ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/5 "2012-11-19T05:36:08Z")
The insignia of the 45th Infantry Division (from OKC) was originally a yellow swastika on red in honor of the states native american heritage. They changed it to the Thunderbird in 1939 because of some issue with a guy named Adolf using the symbol. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/6 "2012-11-19T05:38:53Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > [Swastika Fuel Company](http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/swastika-fuel-co.-wood-thermometer:-5x21-by-the-1-c-0540384584), from a google search. That’s it. That exactly what it was. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/7 "2012-11-19T07:06:40Z")
[Wiki entry on the symbol.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika) As others have said it was used by many cultures thru history but once the Nazis adopted it, they pretty much tainted it beyond recognition (to say the least). Probably for a couple centuries at least. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/8 "2012-11-19T12:58:45Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > The insignia of the 45th Infantry Division (from OKC) was originally a yellow swastika on red in honor of the states native american heritage. They changed it to the Thunderbird in 1939 because of some issue with a guy named Adolf using the symbol. He ruined that mustache for everyone too. ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/9 "2012-11-19T15:52:43Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > He ruined that mustache for everyone too. Did that mustache work for ANYONE? Really? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/10 "2012-11-19T15:54:09Z")
> [@OtisCampbellWasRight](#): > > Did that mustache work for ANYONE? Really? You know who else that mustache worked for? Chaplin. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/11 "2012-11-19T16:03:14Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > [Swastika Fuel Company](http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/swastika-fuel-co.-wood-thermometer:-5x21-by-the-1-c-0540384584), from a google search. Interesting. I noticed that in the doc too, and just thought that person was an “early supporter.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/12 "2012-11-19T16:05:35Z")
Last week I searched for a wallpaper to celebrate Diwali. I found a nice one and had it as not only my wallpaper but my screen saver. Then I realized that it’s probably not a good idea for me to have that on my work computer. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/13 "2012-11-19T16:08:01Z")
[Items currently on Ebay](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=swastika+thermometer&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=swastika+fuel&_sacat=0), but no thermometers at this time. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/14 "2012-11-19T16:11:03Z")
> [@OtisCampbellWasRight](#): > > Did that mustache work for ANYONE? Really? My understanding that before Hitler, it was known as the “toothbrush moustache” and it was popular amongst Army officers because of its neatness. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/15 "2012-11-19T21:18:43Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > [Items currently on Ebay](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=swastika+thermometer&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=swastika+fuel&_sacat=0), but no thermometers at this time. Wow, I’m amazed they’re allowing those items. EBay used to have an extremely strict, zero-tolerance policy on swastikas (I thought even non-Nazi ones)… ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/16 "2012-11-19T21:45:36Z")
I thought that the ban on Nazi items only applied to countries where those things are illegal, like France. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/17 "2012-11-19T21:55:16Z")
The YMCA near my house has swastikas on the floor in places. I keep waiting for someone to complain, but I guess either they understand or don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/18 "2012-11-19T22:00:52Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I thought that the ban on Nazi items only applied to countries where those things are illegal, like France. Dust Bowl Swastikas: Banned Name! ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/19 "2012-11-21T21:47:45Z")
My uncle was buried in Raton, NM when I was a kid, and I remember an old building with swastikas on it, a pattern set right into the bricks of the building. The Native American connection was the explanation given on that one. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475/20 "2012-11-21T23:10:47Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Dust Bowl Swastikas: Banned Name! I saw what you did there. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dust-bowl-swastikas/641475.md?page=2)