The mysterious swastika that you see in the picture was located in a pine forest near Zernikow, a rural town in in northeastern Germany. Each autumn, yellowish larch trees stood out against the surrounding evergreens and formed the infamous Nazi symbol.
However, this weird swastika was only visible from the air and it actually stood there unnoticed for 60 years. It was finally discovered in 1992 by a landscaping company intern who saw it while looking through aerial photographs of the area:
The story of who planted the larch trees is shrouded in mystery. Judging from the age of the trees, it is known that it was created in the 1930s; a time were Hitler’s reign was at its peak. Several theories include an avid supporter of the Nazi party who worked as a forest warden in the area. Others suggest that the forest warden was forced to plant the trees or it was planted by a group of Hitler Youth. The true origin of the forest swastika though, will most probably remain unclear forever.
After its discovery, locals took action to destroy it. In 1995, more than half of the trees were cut down in order to alter the symbol.
However, despite their efforts, German tabloids were posting pictures eight years later that clearly showed that the swastika was still “alive” as the trees begun to regrow. In 2000, the majority of the trees were removed and the trace of the symbol was forever gone.
This example spawned a lot of “swastika” hunters who use Google Earth to search for hidden Nazi symbols visible only from the air. In 2005, a user of an online forum posted this picture in a forest in North Rhine-Westphalia:
Even if people nowadays remove the “living” swastikas, one thing’s for sure: the Nazi regime will not, in any case, leave without a fight. Neo-Nazis and trollers will always find a way to reproduce the illegal symbol with numerous methods.
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: The Story of Hitler’s Forgotten Anti-Smoking Campaign
Photo: Adam Tanner / REUTERS (Fair use)
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
Sources: Site of the Forest Swastika | Hakenkreuzwald? Aggertalsperre? | Secrets and Lies Shroud Origins of Giant Swastika