214
AdAptAtion in the Age of MediA ConvergenCe
without educational intent. 46 Legal studies reconstruct the intentions behind
the prohibition of the display of unconstitutional symbols to achieve the
“banishment” (Verbannung) of the forbidden symbols from public view. 47
A ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) explicitly speaks of the prohibition serving a “tabooing function”
(Tabusierungsfunktion). 48 The judicial aim of setting up a “communicative
taboo” (kommunikatives Tabu) 49 has been criticized, however. Firstly, a
constitutional order, 2) political peace, 3) Germany’s international reputation (Schumann, “Ist
die Ausfuhr von Computerspielen mit NS-Symbolen strafbar?” 440–441). While the last good
pertains to the export of objects containing or displaying forbidden symbols (ibid.), the first
good especially seems to find application in judicature on the Wolfenstein games (cf. Liesching,
“Hakenkreuze in Film, Fernsehen und Computerspielen”).
46 There are exceptions to the media content that falls under this law, depending on the
assumed communicative intention of the media product. Media products intended for political
and historical education in agreement with constitutional values do not fall under this law due
to the so-called provision of social adequacy (Sozialadäquanzklausel; StGB, § 86, paragraph; cf.
Liesching, 309, footnote 3). This provision exempts media products “if the means of propaganda
or the act serves to further civil enlightenment, to avert unconstitutional aims, to promote art or
science, research or teaching, reporting about current historical events or similar purposes.” The
application of law subsumes historical drama movies such as Steven Spielberg, Schindler’s List
(1993) under this provision. However, it appears difficult to subsume movies such as Spielberg,
Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), or the counterfactual
Quentin Tarantino movie Inglourious Basterds (2009) under this provision as well (Liesching,
“Hakenkreuze in Film, Fernsehen und Computerspielen,” 309–310). The divergent treatment of
similar plots in different media is exemplified when comparing the indexed Wolfenstein game
Spear of Destiny with the Indiana Jones movies (Inc. id Software, Spear of Destiny (FormGen
Corp., 1992)). In Spear of Destiny the protagonist controlled by the player (the player avatar)
is an allied agent. This agents’ mission is to capture the Spear of Destiny from the Nazis. The
context of the appearance of forbidden symbols in the two Indiana Jones movies and the game
Spear of Destiny is congruent with regard to Nazi characters functioning as antagonists and the
genre of fantastic historical fiction. The culpability of displaying NS symbols in video games
when assigned to the game’s enemies is addressed by a judgment of the Higher Regional Court
in Frankfurt am Main (19 Neue Zeitschrift für Strafrecht 356 (OLG Frankfurt am Main, March
18, 1998)). The Court ruled that StGB, § 86a, paragraph 1, no. 1 applies, even if the forbidden Nazi
symbols are assigned to video game characters functioning as enemies in the respective game,
superseding a regional court’s previous ruling (cf. Schumann, 440). If judgments regarding
the culpability of the distribution of Wolfenstein games would consider the provision of social
adequacy in their examination of these games, the games’ use of forbidden symbols might be
considered legal. As noted above, however, the economic damage for the Wolfenstein publishers
already arises from their products being indexed based on regulations found in the JuSchG.
47 Schumann, 442.
48 59 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 3052 (Bundesverfassungsgericht March 23, 2006).
49 Tatjana Hörnle, “Verwendung von NS-Symbolen in offenkundig-eindeutig ablehnender
Tendenz: StGB § 86a I,” Neue Zeitschrift für Strafrecht 27, no. 12 (2007): 698–699 with reference
to 59 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 3052 (Bundesverfassungsgericht March 23, 2006); 55
Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 3186 (Bundesgerichtshof July 31, 2002); 28 Entscheidungen des
AdAptAtion in the Age of MediA ConvergenCe
without educational intent. 46 Legal studies reconstruct the intentions behind
the prohibition of the display of unconstitutional symbols to achieve the
“banishment” (Verbannung) of the forbidden symbols from public view. 47
A ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) explicitly speaks of the prohibition serving a “tabooing function”
(Tabusierungsfunktion). 48 The judicial aim of setting up a “communicative
taboo” (kommunikatives Tabu) 49 has been criticized, however. Firstly, a
constitutional order, 2) political peace, 3) Germany’s international reputation (Schumann, “Ist
die Ausfuhr von Computerspielen mit NS-Symbolen strafbar?” 440–441). While the last good
pertains to the export of objects containing or displaying forbidden symbols (ibid.), the first
good especially seems to find application in judicature on the Wolfenstein games (cf. Liesching,
“Hakenkreuze in Film, Fernsehen und Computerspielen”).
46 There are exceptions to the media content that falls under this law, depending on the
assumed communicative intention of the media product. Media products intended for political
and historical education in agreement with constitutional values do not fall under this law due
to the so-called provision of social adequacy (Sozialadäquanzklausel; StGB, § 86, paragraph; cf.
Liesching, 309, footnote 3). This provision exempts media products “if the means of propaganda
or the act serves to further civil enlightenment, to avert unconstitutional aims, to promote art or
science, research or teaching, reporting about current historical events or similar purposes.” The
application of law subsumes historical drama movies such as Steven Spielberg, Schindler’s List
(1993) under this provision. However, it appears difficult to subsume movies such as Spielberg,
Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), or the counterfactual
Quentin Tarantino movie Inglourious Basterds (2009) under this provision as well (Liesching,
“Hakenkreuze in Film, Fernsehen und Computerspielen,” 309–310). The divergent treatment of
similar plots in different media is exemplified when comparing the indexed Wolfenstein game
Spear of Destiny with the Indiana Jones movies (Inc. id Software, Spear of Destiny (FormGen
Corp., 1992)). In Spear of Destiny the protagonist controlled by the player (the player avatar)
is an allied agent. This agents’ mission is to capture the Spear of Destiny from the Nazis. The
context of the appearance of forbidden symbols in the two Indiana Jones movies and the game
Spear of Destiny is congruent with regard to Nazi characters functioning as antagonists and the
genre of fantastic historical fiction. The culpability of displaying NS symbols in video games
when assigned to the game’s enemies is addressed by a judgment of the Higher Regional Court
in Frankfurt am Main (19 Neue Zeitschrift für Strafrecht 356 (OLG Frankfurt am Main, March
18, 1998)). The Court ruled that StGB, § 86a, paragraph 1, no. 1 applies, even if the forbidden Nazi
symbols are assigned to video game characters functioning as enemies in the respective game,
superseding a regional court’s previous ruling (cf. Schumann, 440). If judgments regarding
the culpability of the distribution of Wolfenstein games would consider the provision of social
adequacy in their examination of these games, the games’ use of forbidden symbols might be
considered legal. As noted above, however, the economic damage for the Wolfenstein publishers
already arises from their products being indexed based on regulations found in the JuSchG.
47 Schumann, 442.
48 59 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 3052 (Bundesverfassungsgericht March 23, 2006).
49 Tatjana Hörnle, “Verwendung von NS-Symbolen in offenkundig-eindeutig ablehnender
Tendenz: StGB § 86a I,” Neue Zeitschrift für Strafrecht 27, no. 12 (2007): 698–699 with reference
to 59 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 3052 (Bundesverfassungsgericht March 23, 2006); 55
Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 3186 (Bundesgerichtshof July 31, 2002); 28 Entscheidungen des