Embarrassing incident in Norddeich: Reich flag hoisted in front of the toy museum!

Embarrassing incident in Norddeich: Reich flag hoisted in front of the toy museum!

An unexpected incident caused a stir on August 12, 2025 in front of the North Sea Automobile and Toy Museum in Norddeich, Aurich district. An imperial flag was hoisted in front of the popular excursion destination, which sparked discussion among guests and on social media. The museum operator explained that it was a mere oversight that resulted from a new donation of country flags.

The Reich flag, which was officially used as the national flag of the German Reich and later the Third Reich between 1892 and 1935, was hung by a museum employee to enhance the overall appearance. According to museum director Ferdinand Klein, the raising of the flag was not politically motivated, but simply a careless mistake. However, after the incident, the flag was immediately taken down and the museum expressly regretted this mistake.

Mishap in the museum: explanation and legal background

While the museum management regrets the incident, it was also pointed out that displaying the imperial flag is legally harmless. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, hoisting this flag does not violate any applicable laws unless there are specific threats to public safety. Initially, the flag was part of a donation in which a collection of country flags was given to the museum. These flags had not previously been examined for history or possible meanings.

The incident was also discussed in a report by NDR 1 Lower Saxony, which further fueled the public discussion. Many visitors expressed surprise at the decision to display this flag, especially in a museum that also displays a variety of vintage cars and toys.

The North Sea Automobile and Toy Museum

The Automobile and Toy Museum, which opened in November 2002, has now become an important cultural attraction in the region. The exhibition area of ​​around 2000 square meters houses around 40 motorcycles, 20 mopeds, 55 cars, 2 trucks as well as numerous engines and racing cars. The subject areas range from “The History of Rallying” to “Children's Dreams of the Past”. A sizeable collection of Steiff cuddly toys and Schuco toy cars will also be presented.

The museum has been managed by Ferdinand Klein since August 2020, after his predecessor died. The museum is open daily during the summer months, while in the winter months visitors are only welcomed on weekends.

Although the incident surrounding the Reich flag was unpleasant, the museum remains a place that presents the history of the automobile and the toys of the past with a lot of love and dedication. We are excited to see how the discussion on this topic will develop and what lessons will be learned from it.