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cross on t-shirts and other gear


alankmock

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It's to let the rest of the world' date=' including everyone else wearing it, know that you're unique and a real rebel, not some kinda sheep or something. It's like...instant mojo![/quote']

 

Haha. +1

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I'm not trying to stir up any controversy. I was just curious why this symbol seems slapped all over Gibson's, admittedly outrageously-priced, shirts. I know the iron cross of Prussian background, but why would Gibson select this particular symbol? My hunch is that it's associated with heavy metal, but I don't know why I think that.

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I'm not trying to stir up any controversy. I was just curious why this symbol seems slapped all over Gibson's' date=' admittedly outrageously-priced, shirts. I know the iron cross of Prussian background, but why would Gibson select this particular symbol? My hunch is that it's associated with heavy metal, but I don't know why I think that. [/quote']

 

We design shirts on Thursdays. Questions regarding shirt designs will be answered on Thursdays only.

 

buttonred.jpg

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We design shirts on Thursdays. Questions regarding shirt designs will be answered on Thursdays only.

 

buttonred.jpg

 

Cruzn dude, you just told him we design on thursday and then left this huge button? What's up wit dat? Don't tempt the boy he'll hit that button and start designing before the rest of us are ready.

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The Iron Cross is a old symbol but very much associated with Germany since WWI, it was one of their medals with most significance.

 

I personally never understood why is associated with being a badass or why bikers bear that cross next to an American flag.

 

It is just like the Che Guevara thing, 99% of people that wear t-shirts with his image do not know his true story.

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Technically it's a Maltese cross.

 

Yeah, a lot of us in rock bands in the 60s <grin> just hadda have 'em. They were sold at every sorta cheap store you might imagine. I think I still have one from that era someplace.

 

Oddly the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars also uses a similar symbol. The German "Iron Cross" of course - the Blue Max was a high-ranking variation. Bikers in the '60s, surfers and such all seem to have taken the design as their own.

 

It's one of those universals that can have dozens of "meanings" and hasn't yet totally angered any specific group I'm aware of since so many contrary groups have adopted it as their own.

 

m

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Cruzn dude' date=' you just told him we design on thursday and then left this huge button? What's up wit dat? Don't tempt the boy he'll hit that button and start designing before the rest of us are ready.[/quote']

 

I'm way ahead of ya, Danny! It has an anti-early bird software package; If he uses it before Thursday he'll develop an instant pot-belly and look redicy00lous in a T. [blush]:-k[biggrin]

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Che Guevara ... 99% of people that wear t-shirts with his image do not know his true story.

Bingo!

 

(Morons....)

 

It's to compete with all the mall clothing with designs or sayings that mean absolutely nothing.

The "cross" is a familiar design that they can use that's not copyrighted.

 

I'm no expert on fashion, but every t-shirt I own has a very clear design or saying - no question about 'em.

No hidden meanings, nothing to figure out....

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The Iron Cross is a old symbol but very much associated with Germany since WWI' date=' it was one of their medals with most significance.

 

I personally never understood why is associated with being a badass or why bikers bear that cross next to an American flag.

 

It is just like the Che Guevara thing, 99% of people that wear t-shirts with his image do not know his true story.

[/quote']

 

Perhaps because the Red Baron had it on his plane - he was a bit of a badass.

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Actually, a "Maltese Cross" has a notch on the end of each bar. They look like four Pontiac arrowheads converging on a single point. The Blue Max, the Pour le Merite, is a Maltese Cross. The subject cross of this thread, with flat ended bars is known as the Cross Patee.

 

It is indeed the shape of the German Iron Cross medal which has been a German military award since before WWII. It is still awarded to German soldiers for gallantry. Somewhat akin to the stars awarded to US soldiers. In fact you can see the Cross Patee on a few US military decorations.

 

This cross predates Prussia and is neither uniquely German nor Prussian.

 

However it is most recently (20th century) identified as being 'German'. It's use in Rock and Roll and in the motorcycle culture bespeaks 'Bad A$$', harkening to it's recent identification with Nazi Germany.

 

But... as I said before, the Cross Patee, is NOT singularly identified as a Nazi symbol like the swastika.... which by the way hasn't always been identified with the National Socialist Party either. The swastika is an ancient symbol which Adolph Hitler dredged up as a symbol for his party. A local court house in the next county over, from where I live, has little swastikas on it's cast iron stair banister railings. The court house pre-dates Nazi Germany. At the time they were installed, the swastika was considered a symbol of good luck.

 

WWI History is one of my hobbies.

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