DS ACW (US civil war) soldiers worldwide removed from Online Shops & Funstores

[Oliver]

I think it can reasonably be argued that the Roman oppression of Christians doesn't continue to impact on the life of Christians today

[The_Mad_Hadder]

I think it can reasonably be argued that the Roman oppression of Christians doesn't continue to impact on the life of Christians today

Like most have stated with what is currently going on in the US as well as the fact that the civil war ended only 152 years ago and what they were fighting for is still felt today by many that is the reason there is the issue. Where as the Roman Empire ceased to exist 1541 years ago.

There would be many that would argue now that Christianity has been oppressive amongst others. What we have to remember is Geobra is a company that wishes to make money and Playmobil happens to be its vessel of doing such. With the tensions around such an event coming to a boil this year and last in the United States (removal of flags from state houses, removal of statues from public places) I can see why too Geobra would make such a move. There are however a lot of us that are fascinated by war, and I very much enjoyed making civil war skirmishes with my playmobil when I was a child. I cannot say at the time I knew much if anything about what they were fighting for. But to risk sales of all toys from parents boy cotting a company over one small theme that Playmobil has already pretty much wrapped up does not make sense.

[StJohn]

The Western sets have a bit of unique place in the 'historical' Playmobil sets because it's so recent - for a toy company that has always said it wouldn't make modern war toys - and because it's representing a fairly contentious history. Especially as the rest of the historical sets go ever further into fantasy territory.

Spot on, Olivier!

I have wondered more than once about the prominence of cavalry in PM’s Western word, right from the start (1975!). That Western was going to be a big thing for a German toymaker is easy enough to understand in Karl May's land of birth, but I am not familiar with his novels to appreciate whether the blue coats play any significant part therein. If I may assume that they did, then having some soldiers in the mix seems acceptable enough, despite the company’s dogmatic No Modern Violence stance. After all, Cavalry vs. Indians sounds innocent enough, even if it wasn’t in the days.

But things definitely took a different turn in 1994, when the first Confederates appeared. That took PM out of the adventurous & romantic Wild West and straight into the gritty reality of (almost) modern warfare! Not in a million years would soldiers from the (almost contemporary) Franco-Prussian War have made it into the catalogue, but those ACW guys made it, somehow, thanks to the romance and adventure of their Western sugar-coating - artillery, grape shot, full-blooded flags and all included. Don’t get me wrong, many adult collectors (myself included) thoroughly enjoy them, but they really are at odds with the company’s guiding principles on military violence, which used to - and still do - matter a great deal in Germany. ACW is just weird in the PM catalogue, and I haven’t yet encountered a convincing clarification for their existence. I like to think it it was a rogue designer somehow slipping through the net, with sales figures never flashing a warning light ...

Now time has finally caught up, and what we are seeing is the abrupt and complete demise of ACW, blues and greys alike. Hold on to your figures and cherish them, for their world has well and truly passed ...

Best wishes
StJohn

[The_Mad_Hadder]

Hold on to your figures and cherish them, for their world has well and truly passed ...

Hold on to them all and not just the ACW, keep the fond innocent memories of childhood.

[Klickteryx]

Like most have stated with what is currently going on in the US as well as the fact that the civil war ended only 152 years ago and what they were fighting for is still felt today by many ...

Felt by who? A bunch of activists who grew up in an era where a black president held office for two terms? As time goes by you'd expect historic animosity to decrease, not increase as is being seen in America.
Most of the Confederate monuments are memorials to the war dead and celebrating the ending of the war. There are a handful of such which portray figures like Jefferson Davis which could be seen as divisive but it seems that most of the protesters, and counter protesters don't live in the areas being targeted suggesting political issues outside local feeling.
152 years ago is plenty long ago. There are successful countries younger than that.

How long until they drop the native Indians because some tribe complains about money being made off their image? Will all ethnic depictions disappear so as to be safe?

[Bolingbroke]

I think it can reasonably be argued that the Roman oppression of Christians doesn't continue to impact on the life of Christians today

so basically it's not a question of X historical event being bad, but of X historical event still being fresh in people's memories? is that what you're saying? that's how it works? mmm. given enough time, it would be alright to have playmobil concentration camps?

[tahra]

There would be many that would argue now that Christianity has been oppressive amongst others.

Let's not even go there....

What we have to remember is Geobra is a company that wishes to make money (...)

That is VERY VERY doubtful... 

[Hadoque]

Only 2 years ago Geobra had no problem at all with Confederate soldiers,
they then released in Surprise Figures Series 8 the confederate soldier with the red cap;

http://animobil.info/figures/text/5d0863aa(shields)-1134.html

[Hadoque]

the gritty reality of (almost) modern warfare

Besides trench-warfare an the introduction of the gatling-"machine"gun, there wasn´t much modern about it.
Generally, the same butchery as like during earlier (Napoleonic f.e.) wars and medieval battles.

[Robbie]

Most people here in the USA don't even know what Playmobil is and probably never will. Although I find it bizarre, I think Playmobil might have made the right decision in this case. They probably don't want any more possible bad publicity here (remember the Pirate Ship that was seen as racist a few years ago).