In 2018, Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters found himself at the centre of controversy after he dressed as a Nazi officer during a performance in Germany. Waters had appeared onstage at a concert wearing a red armband and a green SS-style military uniform. The move was made in reference to a fictional character in The Wall, a concept album by Pink Floyd, but sparked outrage amongst Jewish groups.
In response to critics, Waters said that the character he was referencing had been “designed to be an everyman, not, as some would have it, a stereotyped convenient target for demonisation”. He further argued that his performance was exploring the “universality of both victimhood and victimiser”.
Though Waters eventually apologized for any offense caused, the incident nevertheless helped contribute to the still-ongoing debate about the appropriateness of such displays in art. The incident further highlighted the sensitivity of such issues in Germany, where discussion of the Holocaust and Nazi symbolism remain highly charged topics.