[W.]

The American Indians used the swastika hundreds of years ago. NBD, had I some, I’d keep them as a novelty.

[cynwoody]

The American Indians used the swastika hundreds of years ago. NBD, had I some, I’d keep them as a novelty.

The Nazi swastika is rotated 45°. The American Indian swastika is unrotated. Its arms are vertical and horizontal. Here is an example:

The Shaffer Hotel
Mountainair, New Mexico

Photographer's note:

On the rural New Mexico highway headed south from Albuquerque a fine 'base-camp' to visit the 3 ruins of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is the small southwestern town of Mountainair. And especially the historical protected Shaffer Hotel seen in this image.

The Shaffer Hotel was constructed in 1923 by Clem 'Pop' Shaffer, experienced blacksmith, merchant, horse trader, land speculator, patriot, and most important - an artist. He preferred concrete over the more popular and cheaper wood construction. His artistic interpretation of pueblo construction and art resulted in this "pueblo deco" style which would become very popular decades later.

Note the symbols on the Hotel's second floor are not swatiskas but Pueblo Native American symbols long before Nazi Germany.

Today the Shaffer Hotel is not only a fine place to dine, but also stay in the historic hotel rooms.

[oldplayer]

The 45th Infantry Division used the swastika as the centerpiece of their main emblem from inception in 1920 until the mid-1930’s. That swastika is backwards from the one of the Third Reich, but the casual observer would not notice. The symbol was adopted in honor of the many Indians that were in the Oklahoma National Guard, which formed the basis of the Division. I was taught in school that it represented the “Thunderbird” of some of the Southwest tribes.

The 45th Division distinguished itself in Italy and France/Germany in WWII and then suffered much in the “police action” in Korea.