Origin:
The organization’s name is similar to the 1st Mountain Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, Nazi Germany’s army. In the past, Edelweiss Vinnytsia’s Facebook page was called “Gebirgs,” an apparent reference to the 1st Mountain Division’s German name: the Gebirgs-Division. The Edelweiss Vinnytsia emblem also resembles the division's insignia. Among the organization’s goals, according to its Facebook page, is “combating LGBT and left-wing values.”Uses:
Edelweiss is a popular name. A drawing of the flower edelweiss (which Edelweiss Vinnytsia’s emblem resembles) is available in online image banks.
Use as a hate symbol:
The 1st Mountain Division was considered an elite unit of Nazi Germany’s army and was involved in the commission of war crimes.
Edelweiss Vinnytsia’s symbols are not overtly Nazi, but they do contain references to Nazi Germany. This is typical of modern far right and neo-Nazi organizations.
Due to the prevalence of the name Edelweiss and images resembling the flower, it’s important to carefully determine whether the people using the emblem are members or supporters of Edelweiss Vinnytsia. The organization’s name is written in a pseudo-Gothic font and its members wear clothing with the word “Edelweiss” in this specific lettering.
Emblem of the youth wing
Pin
Division emblem
Division emblem (variant)