An artist has caused controversy in Germany by staging an exhibition of garden gnomes giving Nazi salutes.
Ottmar Horl has crafted 1,250 of the plastic dwarfs and will parade them in military formation in Straubing, Bavaria, the heartland of Hitler's war-time support.
Horl, 49, says the display shows the "symptoms of a political disease".
He managed to get around strict anti-Nazi legislation in Germany by saying the gnomes are a satire on Hitler.
However, locals have dubbed the models the devil's dwarves.
Garden gnomes remain a firm favourites in Germany despite falling out of fashion in Britain. Experts estimate the gnome population is at 25 million.
But there is a growing trend towards gnomes who make obscene gestures, commit suicide or engage in sexual activity, and courts have ordered figures to be removed if they offend neighbours.
Source : Ananova
Ottmar Horl has crafted 1,250 of the plastic dwarfs and will parade them in military formation in Straubing, Bavaria, the heartland of Hitler's war-time support.
Horl, 49, says the display shows the "symptoms of a political disease".
He managed to get around strict anti-Nazi legislation in Germany by saying the gnomes are a satire on Hitler.
However, locals have dubbed the models the devil's dwarves.
Garden gnomes remain a firm favourites in Germany despite falling out of fashion in Britain. Experts estimate the gnome population is at 25 million.
But there is a growing trend towards gnomes who make obscene gestures, commit suicide or engage in sexual activity, and courts have ordered figures to be removed if they offend neighbours.
Source : Ananova