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A HUGE NAZI flag on the facade of a building has caused dismay in the southern French city of Nice, with some residents apparently unaware it was a prop for a World War II film.
Complete with vehicles with Nazi insignia, the set was for an adaptation of Joseph Joffo’s book, “A Bag of Marbles”, about two young boys on the run in Nazi-occupied France.
“It is distressing, it sends shivers down your spine,” said Daniel, a tourist from the French city of Orleans who was born three years after the end of the war, during which France was occupied by Nazi Germany.
Like many passersby and tourists, Daniel came to take a picture of the flag which caused alarm when it was first appeared on Monday.
A French-American tourist took a photograph of the moment the flag was unfurled and sent it to a local newspaper, claiming there was nothing to explain to local people why the red flag emblazoned with a swastika was on the building.
“People didn’t know if it was a hoax, for a film, or a provocation,” he told Nice-Matin.
“So as soon as they saw two men on the roof who were unfurling the flag, the crowd started to shout at them. As it was in the middle of the antique market, it caused quite a scene.”
Nice town hall later released a statement explaining that the film crew had been granted permission to use the imposing Palais des Rois Sardes – which houses the offices of the regional authorities – to stand in for the Hotel Excelsior, which SS commander Alois Brunner requisitioned as the headquarters of his round-up of French Jews to be sent to death camps.
And on Tuesday a large yellow signboard read “film set” and “historical reconstruction” to dispel any further confusion.
Others saw the humorous side.
Initially surprised when they saw the large flag from afar, German tourist Mathias and his son Tobias later sent pictures of it to their friends back home joking: “We are back!”
The film is directed by French-Canadian Christian Duguay.
They need to put a fence in the middle reserve to stop rubberneckers and put that toll money to some use. It’s a joke there is even a toll on that road.
@Mark Jones: exactly their should no toll on the M50 the motorist getting ripped yet again.
@Mark Jones: that is what is done many places in UK, whenever there is an incident.
It covers up / fences off the vehicle(s) so nothing is visible => reduces the cumulative rubbernecking time, thus speeding things up.
I’m surprised it hasn’t been implemented in Éire.
Rubberneckers are a scourge on society – they need more visual entertainment in the daily lives.
Can someone buy the Gardai some new cameras!
I thought it was a stock photo from 1980 at first glance!
All motorway drivers should have to complete an online awareness course before being allowed onto a motorway.
For example my neighbour is 80 years old and she is driving legally. She got a licence before driving tests were brought in and today she can legally drive on the M50.
That’s wrong on so many levels.
I can do the M50 run in 12 parsecs…….if im going the opposite direction.
(not rubber necking at the eejit that caused the crash)
Must have been some smash to block 3 lanes with debris
Photo taken by gardai on a potato camera!
If rubber-neckers are ruining your day, start beeping at them to move on. At some point you will be behind the car that has slowed down to look, beep them, I do it, ive really cheesed off some folks, even one trying to take a photo once… Just do it, I never understand why there aren’t a sea of car horns sounding at a crash on the opposite side to move rubber neckers on. Change your behaviour to change others behaviour.
Why are crews not on stand by to clear accidents from our motorways. Surely with modern technology there is no need to close them to investigate an accident.
This situation is being caused by the cyclists breaking red lights. It might seem unlikely but a review of the facts cannot be ignored.
@Platypus Parcel: I’m famously no fan of cyclists, but can you show how “This situation is being caused by the cyclists breaking red lights”. It is a problem in town but do you have evidence it contributed to the “situation” here?
@Tom Purcell: Everytime a cyclists breaks a red light the drivers adjacent look at them and shake their head and roll their eyes. This improves neck muscles and peripheral vision.
These improved abilities allow drivers to ‘rubberneck’ on the motorway thus causing tailbacks.
quod erat demonstrandum
@Platypus Parcel: wise
@Platypus Parcel: there are no cyclists on the M50.
@Conor O’Sullivan: That’s because there are no red lights to ignore, zero sport, zero bipedal motion.
@Platypus Parcel: read the title of the article: “Very heavy delays after commuter crash on the M50″. It concerns the M50 – on which there are no cyclists.
@Conor O’Sullivan: The north-bound lane of the M50 isn’t as slow as you.
We have some desperate Drivers here in Ireland.Every day on the M50 they are speeding and driving up your ass.Accidents happen every single day on this motorway. Put cameras in and it will stop it like they did in the port tunnel.
They really must do something quick.
It WILL work.
@Gerry Fallon: probably coz many are guilty of lanehogging on the M50. Keep to the left and no one will be ‘driving up your ass’. Motorway driving skills are clearly lacking in Ireland.
@Gerry Fallon: I was tailgated on the M1 going northbound last Saturday evening, there was no room for me to manoeuvre as the lane I was in was chockerblock as were the other two lanes. The guy behind me just would not move back, it was very scary and my children started to cry with fear. He was so close I could only see his windscreen in my rearview. This is unacceptable behaviour.
@Frank Cauldhame: a tip of the breaks would of filled his car with the smell of manure!!
@Tony Harris: I was tempted Tony but I had three children in the car with me.
I was wondering why the north bound traffic was so light this morning.
Gardaí to attend funerals in respect initiativehttps://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2018/0528/966681-funeral/
A joke this road is, something needs to be done. Either don’t let anyone on it till they have been tested on it or make everyone resit their test every few years
Please think before you comment especially when you haven’t got the facts. The driver was driving in the left lane and is a very good driver and he doesn’t need lessons to know how to drive on the M50. You might want to bare that in mind before you so freely give your opinions next time round.
People who play with their own faeces. Or rubberneckers for short.
have your say