loCAliZAtion As AdAptAtion in the WOLFENSTEIN frAnChise
215
communicative taboo could make these symbols more powerful. 50 Secondly,
a taboo at the same time could hinder political enlightenment, as the public
may assume that the respective anti-constitutional movements would not
exist if they were rendered invisible. 51
In non-conf iscated versions of Wolfenstein games, unconstitutional
symbols were removed (e.g. the English language SNES version of Wolfenstein
3D, or the German language version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein). 52
Nonetheless, most of these versions were indexed. The main remaining
reason for their indexing was apparently an excessive display of violence.
Considering that a large part of the Wolfenstein games’ appeal to their
audiences involves occupying the “exploitation” genre, violence has only
been reduced in a single instalment of the series, the SNES version of
Wolfenstein 3D. This version does not show any blood. Skeletons of dead
prisoners visible in the original PC version were removed from the SNES
version. However, the SNES version was indexed in Germany through the
same legal announcement as the original version of Wolfenstein 3D. 53 As
the SNES version is a global, English language version, and not a localized
German version, it can be assumed that the producers aimed to create a
version fitting to the more family-friendly branding of Nintendo. 54 The
filtering in the SNES version also goes far beyond removing NS symbols
whose display is forbidden under German law. All references to the Second
World War are likewise removed or veiled through wordplay.
This raises the question of whether publishers are solely motivated by
avoiding indexing or confiscation when filtering Wolfenstein video games.
Considering the filtering of Wolfenstein video games as motivated by German
legislation, this leaves in play only those laws of the criminal code that
pertain to media content, in this case two legal provisions on depictions of
Bundesgerichtshofes in Strafsachen 394 (Bundesgerichtshof April 25, 1979); cf. Tatjana Hörnle,
Grob anstößiges Verhalten: Strafrechtlicher Schutz von Moral, Gefühlen und Tabus, Juristische
Abhandlungen 46 (Frankfurt am Main: Klostermann, 2005), 276–281.
50 Hörnle, “Verwendung von NS-Symbolen,” 698–699; Fischer et al., Strafgesetzbuch und
Nebengesetze, 779, § 86a, no. 2 b.
51 Hörnle, “Verwendung von NS-Symbolen,” 698–699. In August 2018, the USK however changed
its legal opinion and takes the provision of social adequacy into account when rating the use of
unconstitutional symbols in video games.
52 Inc. id Software, Wolfenstein 3D (Imagineer Co., Limited, 1993); Gray Matter Interactive
Studios, Inc. et al., Return to Castle Wolfenstein (Activision Deutschland GmbH, 2001).
53 Bundesanzeiger, no. 20 (1994).
54 For a reproduction of the guidelines, see Schwartz and Schwartz, Parent’s Guide to Video
Games, 21–24.
215
communicative taboo could make these symbols more powerful. 50 Secondly,
a taboo at the same time could hinder political enlightenment, as the public
may assume that the respective anti-constitutional movements would not
exist if they were rendered invisible. 51
In non-conf iscated versions of Wolfenstein games, unconstitutional
symbols were removed (e.g. the English language SNES version of Wolfenstein
3D, or the German language version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein). 52
Nonetheless, most of these versions were indexed. The main remaining
reason for their indexing was apparently an excessive display of violence.
Considering that a large part of the Wolfenstein games’ appeal to their
audiences involves occupying the “exploitation” genre, violence has only
been reduced in a single instalment of the series, the SNES version of
Wolfenstein 3D. This version does not show any blood. Skeletons of dead
prisoners visible in the original PC version were removed from the SNES
version. However, the SNES version was indexed in Germany through the
same legal announcement as the original version of Wolfenstein 3D. 53 As
the SNES version is a global, English language version, and not a localized
German version, it can be assumed that the producers aimed to create a
version fitting to the more family-friendly branding of Nintendo. 54 The
filtering in the SNES version also goes far beyond removing NS symbols
whose display is forbidden under German law. All references to the Second
World War are likewise removed or veiled through wordplay.
This raises the question of whether publishers are solely motivated by
avoiding indexing or confiscation when filtering Wolfenstein video games.
Considering the filtering of Wolfenstein video games as motivated by German
legislation, this leaves in play only those laws of the criminal code that
pertain to media content, in this case two legal provisions on depictions of
Bundesgerichtshofes in Strafsachen 394 (Bundesgerichtshof April 25, 1979); cf. Tatjana Hörnle,
Grob anstößiges Verhalten: Strafrechtlicher Schutz von Moral, Gefühlen und Tabus, Juristische
Abhandlungen 46 (Frankfurt am Main: Klostermann, 2005), 276–281.
50 Hörnle, “Verwendung von NS-Symbolen,” 698–699; Fischer et al., Strafgesetzbuch und
Nebengesetze, 779, § 86a, no. 2 b.
51 Hörnle, “Verwendung von NS-Symbolen,” 698–699. In August 2018, the USK however changed
its legal opinion and takes the provision of social adequacy into account when rating the use of
unconstitutional symbols in video games.
52 Inc. id Software, Wolfenstein 3D (Imagineer Co., Limited, 1993); Gray Matter Interactive
Studios, Inc. et al., Return to Castle Wolfenstein (Activision Deutschland GmbH, 2001).
53 Bundesanzeiger, no. 20 (1994).
54 For a reproduction of the guidelines, see Schwartz and Schwartz, Parent’s Guide to Video
Games, 21–24.