Germany to update Adidas football kit numbering following Nazi symbol concerns

German soccer officials have decided to update the design of the number "4" on the national team jerseys. This decision comes after concerns were raised that it looks similar to a logo used by Nazi paramilitary groups.

The German Football Association (DFB) announced this change on Monday. The decision was made in response to social media users who noticed the resemblance between the number "4" and the logo of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a Nazi paramilitary unit.

The DFB posted a statement on X, explaining that they had sent numbers 1 to 26 to UEFA for approval. They emphasized that no one involved in the process saw any connection to Nazi symbolism in the design of the jersey. The DFB is treating the issue seriously and is working on creating a new design for the number in question.

Although the German national teams do not currently use the number 44, Adidas, the official uniform supplier, allowed customers to personalize jerseys with any number from 00 to 99 and a name up to 10 letters long. The images of these personalized jerseys created on the Adidas website quickly spread on social media platforms.

Adidas spokesperson Oliver Bruggen stated to German media that the company would quickly block the number 44. He emphasized that Adidas is against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence, and hatred in any form.

As of Tuesday, the option to customize the German team's jerseys has been taken down from Adidas' websites. However, the customization feature is still available for other countries' uniforms. Adidas has not yet commented on whether the personalization service will be back without the number 4.

Germany’s new uniforms, to be worn by both the men’s and women’s teams, were revealed by the DFB in late March. The men’s team showcased the jerseys in a match against France, and they will also be worn at the 2024 UEFA European Championship, hosted by Germany this summer.

Just recently, the DFB announced that Nike will replace Adidas as the official shirt supplier for the German soccer team starting in 2027. Adidas has been producing the team’s jerseys since the 1950s, a period during which the men’s team (either as Germany or West Germany) has won four World Cups.

Adidas has decided to stop allowing customers to personalize shirts after receiving feedback on social media about the numbers resembling the controversial SS insignia.

The SS, founded by Adolph Hitler, was known as the Nazi Party's "political soldiers" and took on various roles in policing, security, and the military, including overseeing the Gestapo. Starting as a small unit of fewer than 300 individuals, it grew to over 50,000 members by the time the Nazis took control. The organization later became notorious for its involvement in some of the most heinous crimes of World War II, such as operating concentration camps like Auschwitz.

The group's logo, resembling a lightning bolt, was created by German graphic designer Walter Heck. Interestingly, Heck later became a member of the SS after serving as a commander in the Nazi's paramilitary unit, the Sturmabteilung (SA).

Contrary to popular belief perpetuated by Hitler, the logo was not based on ancient runes. Instead, it was inspired by a pseudo-rune designed by Austrian occultist Guido von List in the early 20th century. The symbol was so prevalent during that time that certain German typewriters even featured a stylized "SS" key.

Editor's P/S:

The recent decision by German soccer officials to redesign the number "4" on the national team jerseys is a commendable and necessary step to address concerns raised by social media users about its resemblance to the Nazi paramilitary group logo. The original design inadvertently evoked a painful