After recreating Nazi-era Olympic banner, Tri Delta exits Derby Days
SU sorority Tri Delta left Sigma Chi’s Derby Days competition Tuesday after creating a banner resembling Germany’s Nazi propagandist 1936 Olympics poster. The creation and display were done with a “lack of awareness,” according to Tri Delta. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Syracuse University’s Delta Delta Delta chapter has removed itself from Sigma Chi’s “Derby Days” philanthropy event after displaying a banner that resembled a Nazi-era Olympic poster outside of its house.
Tri Delta’s banner appeared to recreate a poster used during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The poster and 1936 games were notably used by Adolf Hitler and his regime to promote Nazi propaganda.
“The creation and display of this banner was done without malice, but rather a lack of awareness of the meaning behind the imagery,” Tri Delta said in an Instagram statement posted on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, we did not have the proper oversight and safeguards in place to prevent the harm caused by this display.”
Tri Delta’s competition banner — which each of SU’s 13 Panhellenic Council sorority chapters traditionally hang outside of their houses throughout the week — is no longer up at the house.
The university was made aware of the banner on Monday after it had already been removed, Sarah Scalese, SU’s Vice President of Communications wrote in a Tuesday statement to The Daily Orange. The Student Experience Office has contacted Tri Delta’s chapter leadership and national headquarters.
“We are addressing this matter fully in accordance with applicable Student Handbook and Greek Life policies,” Scalese wrote.
As it is an ongoing matter, SU is unable to provide any more details, Scalese wrote.
Derby Days is a national week-long philanthropy event organized by the fraternity Sigma Chi, where sororities compete in challenges to raise money for the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Syracuse’s Panhellenic Council was not involved in the creation or review of the banner, Panhellenic President Dylan Kujawski wrote in a statement to The D.O.
Tri Delta’s national headquarters have no further comment, and SU’s Sigma Chi chapter did not immediately respond to The D.O.’s request for comment.
“This is not a representation of Tri Delta’s values, and we regret associating ourselves and our community with something so deeply misaligned with our values,” Tri Delta’s statement said.
