loCAliZAtion As AdAptAtion in the WOLFENSTEIN frAnChise
219
As a further development, the plot of Wolfenstein: The New Order clearly
enters the realm of alternate history. 75 The first part of the game is set in 1946
where the allied forces are fighting a losing battle against Nazi Germany.
The main, second part of the game is set in 1960, where Nazis have taken
over the world, and even The Beatles are forced to translate their name and
lyrics into German, performing as Die Käfer. The game can be seen as part
of the recent Nazisploitation trend, similar to the crowd-funded Finnish
movie Iron Sky (2012), in which Nazis hide on the moon after fleeing Earth
on the (fictional) Reichsflugscheiben.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is the first Wolfenstein game to explicitly reference the Holocaust. In Chapter 8 of the game, the player’s avatar awakens in
the incinerator of an extermination camp named “Camp Belica.” This camp
is considered to refer to the historical extermination camp Jasenovac by
the online community. 76 The game is also the first in the series to mention
Jews as part of its narrated world, in the form of a secret society of scientists,
Da’at Yichud, whose work has been stolen by Nazis, enabling the Nazis to
win the war. 77 In contrast to earlier installments, Wolfenstein: The New Order
hardly draws on magic in a strict sense, although an occult feature is present
in the shape of said secret society. These aspects do return, however, in its
prequel Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. 78
Narrative filtering of Wolfenstein Games in Germany
Only a part of the filtering of the German versions of the Wolfenstein games,
as well as the games intended for broader audiences (i.e. the Wolfenstein 3D
SNES version and the Wolfenstein RPG), pertains to NS symbols forbidden in
Germany. 79 The filtering process that the Wolfenstein games undergo concentrates on camouflaging references to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust,
75 Bethesda Game Studios et al., Wolfenstein: The New Order.
76 “Camp Belica.” In Wolfenstein Wiki, accessed January 2, 2017, wolfenstein.wikia.com/wiki/
Camp_Belica.
77 cf. Hayton, “Digital Nazis,” 207.
78 MachineGames, Kjell, L.L.C. Brandracket, A.B. Doctor Entertainment, Dynamedion Sounddesign, Game Audio Australia, Inc. id Software, Motion Grinder, and Soundworks. Wolfenstein:
The Old Blood. Bethesda Softworks, L.L.C., 2015.
79 The Austrian website Schnittberichte.com (“reports on editing”) includes an extensive
documentation of all the edits done in the Wolfenstein series, “Wolfenstein 3D,” accessed
January 2, 2017, www.schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=3597; Wurm, “Return to
Castle Wolfenstein”; see “Wolfenstein,” accessed January 2, 2017, www.schnittberichte.com/
schnittbericht.php?ID=5982811; “Wolfenstein: The New Order,” accessed January 2, 2017, www.
219
As a further development, the plot of Wolfenstein: The New Order clearly
enters the realm of alternate history. 75 The first part of the game is set in 1946
where the allied forces are fighting a losing battle against Nazi Germany.
The main, second part of the game is set in 1960, where Nazis have taken
over the world, and even The Beatles are forced to translate their name and
lyrics into German, performing as Die Käfer. The game can be seen as part
of the recent Nazisploitation trend, similar to the crowd-funded Finnish
movie Iron Sky (2012), in which Nazis hide on the moon after fleeing Earth
on the (fictional) Reichsflugscheiben.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is the first Wolfenstein game to explicitly reference the Holocaust. In Chapter 8 of the game, the player’s avatar awakens in
the incinerator of an extermination camp named “Camp Belica.” This camp
is considered to refer to the historical extermination camp Jasenovac by
the online community. 76 The game is also the first in the series to mention
Jews as part of its narrated world, in the form of a secret society of scientists,
Da’at Yichud, whose work has been stolen by Nazis, enabling the Nazis to
win the war. 77 In contrast to earlier installments, Wolfenstein: The New Order
hardly draws on magic in a strict sense, although an occult feature is present
in the shape of said secret society. These aspects do return, however, in its
prequel Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. 78
Narrative filtering of Wolfenstein Games in Germany
Only a part of the filtering of the German versions of the Wolfenstein games,
as well as the games intended for broader audiences (i.e. the Wolfenstein 3D
SNES version and the Wolfenstein RPG), pertains to NS symbols forbidden in
Germany. 79 The filtering process that the Wolfenstein games undergo concentrates on camouflaging references to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust,
75 Bethesda Game Studios et al., Wolfenstein: The New Order.
76 “Camp Belica.” In Wolfenstein Wiki, accessed January 2, 2017, wolfenstein.wikia.com/wiki/
Camp_Belica.
77 cf. Hayton, “Digital Nazis,” 207.
78 MachineGames, Kjell, L.L.C. Brandracket, A.B. Doctor Entertainment, Dynamedion Sounddesign, Game Audio Australia, Inc. id Software, Motion Grinder, and Soundworks. Wolfenstein:
The Old Blood. Bethesda Softworks, L.L.C., 2015.
79 The Austrian website Schnittberichte.com (“reports on editing”) includes an extensive
documentation of all the edits done in the Wolfenstein series, “Wolfenstein 3D,” accessed
January 2, 2017, www.schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=3597; Wurm, “Return to
Castle Wolfenstein”; see “Wolfenstein,” accessed January 2, 2017, www.schnittberichte.com/
schnittbericht.php?ID=5982811; “Wolfenstein: The New Order,” accessed January 2, 2017, www.