Perhaps the museum is also making a preemptive statement, knowing that some will object, out of ignorance.
It's recent connections to neo-Nazis cannot be denied. A symbol of hope, now relegated as a symbol of hate.
I wonder how many more of such-styled quilts remain hidden in attics b/c of PC sentiments and for the reasons the donating family wants to remain anonymous? ...or how many were destroyed?
I was given one of these early 20th century quilts just yesterday. It was one of several quilts and was in very good condition compared to the others. Likely it was in better condition because it was put away and didn't get used due to the negative connotation of the symbol. In searching the net to see what I could find out about it, I ran across this discussion.
Most of the blocks on the quilt are "spinning" in a clockwise motion, so they are the opposite of the swastika, but there are a couple that are spinning counter-clockwise and are a swastika, probably a mistake of the quilter and used anyway because nothing went to waste back then.