A white Vito van featuring the Nazi Reich eagle with swastika has been spotted on Polish roads, yet prosecutors have declined to investigate its public display.
Vehicle Description and Sightings
The vehicle, a white Vito van, bears the black Reich eagle with an attached swastika, a symbol officially used by the Third Reich from 1933 to 1945. It has been described by witnesses as a modern delivery truck employed by a construction material supplier to bring supplies from a warehouse to various building sites.
Legal Context
Under Article 256 of the Polish Penal Code, public propaganda of Nazism, communism, fascism, or other totalitarian regimes is prohibited and can result in up to twenty years’ imprisonment. This provision covers the display of totalitarian symbols in public spaces and ownership of items used for propaganda.
Police Investigation
The incident was reported to the police station in Nowy Targ, as the car was registered in the Podhale region near the Slovak border. Officers observed the van, confirmed the reporter’s account, and forwarded the information to the Zakopane District Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutorial Decline
Subsequently, the Zakopane prosecutor’s office withdrew from the case, citing a potential claim of bias. The matter was then passed to the Radom County (Nowy Sącz) prosecutor’s office, which transferred it to the Muszyna District Prosecutor’s Office. In October, the reporter received a letter from Muszyna stating that, by a decision issued on 22 September 2025, the prosecutor declined to open an investigation.
Public Reaction and Allegations
Readers and drivers reporting the sighting have expressed disbelief and frustration over the prosecutor’s decision. The reporter, in consultation with an appointed lawyer, sought an explanation for the prosecutor’s ruling but was denied, with the explanation that the case was considered not to involve the reporter as a victim.
