VA refuses to remove 'shocking and inexcusable' Nazi symbols and tributes to Hitler from headstones of German POWs in Texas military cemetery because they are protected history (4 Pics)

The Veterans Affairs has refused to remove swastikas from the graves of German prisoners of war, stating they are to 'preserve these headstones' to 'protect historic resources'.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) demanded they be replaced after a retired U.S. military colonel visiting the grave of his grandfather, who fought the Nazis in World War II, was 'sickened to discover the headstones' at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas.

As well as the offensive symbol inside an iron cross carving, the headstones also have inscriptions that read: 'He died far from his home for the Führer, people and fatherland.'

Similar headstones appear at three sites in two VA cemeteries. The second location is Fort Douglas Post Cemetery in Utah. They belong to German prisoners of war who died at US camps and were reinterred in national cemeteries when camps shut down. 

The headstones feature a swastika symbol inside an iron cross and the words: 'He died far from his home for the Führer, people and fatherland'. Pictured is Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas

'The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) hereby demands that V.A. Secretary Robert Wilkie IMMEDIATELY replace the gravestones of all German military personnel interred in V.A. National Cemeteries so that ABSOLUTELY NO Nazi-era symbols, such as the repulsive swastika, and no homages to Adolph Hitler, or the German people and the German fatherland he led as the evil Fuhrer of the Third Reich, will ever again be allowed to appear on such gravestones in V.A. National Cemeteries maintained by U.S. taxpayer dollars,' MRFF chair Mikey Weinstein, said in a statement.

'Indeed, V.A. Secretary Wilkie must first timely explain WHY ANY such former enemy military personnel are even buried In V.A. National Cemeteries, in the first place, alongside our honored deceased American veterans? 

'Lastly, in light of the shocking and inexcusable existence of these Nazi adorned gravesites in V.A. National Cemeteries, MRFF demands that Secretary Wilkie issue an immediate and heartfelt apology to all United States veterans and their families.'

However the VA has said the 76-year-old headstones must remain in order to serve as a reminder of World War II.

'VA is aware of three headstones – two at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery and one at Ft. Douglas Post Cemetery – that include these symbols. All of the headstones date back to the 1940s, when the Army approved the inscriptions in question,' National Cemetery Administration spokesman Les' Melnyk said in a statement. 

'Both Ft. Sam Houston and Ft. Douglas cemeteries were subsequently transferred to the VA's National Cemetery Administration, in 1973 and 2019, respectively.

'The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 assigns stewardship responsibilities to federal agencies, including VA and Army, to protect historic resources, including those that recognize divisive historical figures or events. For this reason, VA will continue to preserve these headstones, like every past administration has.'

The two gavestones at The Fort Sam Houston are in its 'Section Z' section which is home to 140 prisoners of war from World War II. The United States had 700 PoWs at 700 camps by the end of the war, most of whom were repatriated when peace was declared.

But some of those who died at the prison camps were buried there, and then reinterred in national cemeteries when the camps closed. It's not clear why the two prisoners of war were not repatriated.

It is also unclear why their gravestones, which were approved by the Army, were allowed to be inscribed with Nazi symbols.

Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas and Fort Douglas Post Cemetery in Utah contain graves with the headstones. Three have been discovered. Pictured is Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas

A retired senior officer whose grandfather, uncle and aunt are buried at Fort Houston said that the headstones had no place where American veterans are laid to rest.

'This is the hallowed ground of people who gave their life for this country,' the man said anonymously. 'To be buried next to people they fought displaying that symbol of hate is disgusting.'

MRFF chair Weinstein wants the VA to reconsider their stance and said about their response 'That is a non-reply reply'.

The Jewish Telegraph Agency reports that the MRFF is considering legal action to get the headstones removed.

'The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) condemns in the strongest possible manner the VA's incredibly cowardly 'non-reply reply' to the Nazi grave marker controversy occurring as a result of MRFF's civil rights advocacy on behalf of current and former Jewish-American military members. Really?' Weinstein responded to the statement.

'According to the VA, Hitler and his evil, genocidal Third Reich are merely 'divisive historical figures or events,' now?! DISGUSTING and REPREHENSIBLE!!!'

The 'The Military Religious Freedom Foundation demanded that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie (pictured) issue an immediate and heartfelt apology to all United States veterans and their families

Weinstein pointed out the VA's response came as it was reported American Jews were targets of more anti-Semitic incidents in 2019 than any other year over the past four decades.

The Anti-Defamation League started tracking such incidents in 1979 and reported Tuesday that there were 2,107 anti-Semitic incidents in 2019, finding 61 physical assault cases, 1,127 instances of harassment and 919 acts of vandalism.

Last year there were deadly attacks on a California synagogue, a Jewish grocery store in New Jersey and a rabbi's New York home.

The total number of incidents amounted to a 12% increase over the 1,879 incidents it counted in 2018.

Weinstein continued: 'The tragic irony is not lost upon MRFF that, on the VERY same day that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports the highest level of antisemitic incidents EVER in American history, the VA only adds more despicable fuel to the spreading conflagration of anti-Jewish bigotry and prejudice by, essentially, saying to the world that 'well, the Nazi grave markers have been there for a long time so they get to stay'.

'The VA's pathetic and feckless response here is disingenuous at best and dishonest at worst. MRFF is caucusing with our lawyers to determine the viability of expeditiously filing suit against the VA in Federal Court.'

VA's response came as the Anti-Defamation League reported American Jews were targets of more anti-Semitic incidents in 2019 than any other year over the past four decades. Last year there were deadly attacks on a California synagogue (pictured), a Jewish grocery store in New Jersey and a rabbi's New York home