Herford
Because of the Ukraine war: registration office bans license plates with “Z”
Should no longer exist in Herford: number plates with the letter Z.
© Eibner-Pressefoto/ / Picture Alliance
In Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a “Z” can be seen on many tanks and other military vehicles. In Germany, too, people with the letter show their sympathy for the Russian war. An admissions office now wants to take action.
In Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, car owners have to be prepared for a restriction in the choice of signs. The local registration office no longer wants to issue license plates with the letter Z for the time being. Corresponding reports were confirmed by the admissions office to the German Press Agency.
The background to the ban is the Russian army’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in which the letter Z can often be seen. In the meantime, the Z has also become a symbol of sympathy towards the Russian superpower fantasy – both in Russia itself and among Russians living abroad. In Germany, there are already bans on the letter Z in several federal states when it is used as a symbol.
The accident in Herford: A teenager had stolen his brother’s BMW.
© Police Herford
Herford: car dealers wanted “Z” in the license plate – road traffic office prohibits the license plate
Apparently that was also the case in Herford: according to the local newspaper “Neue Westfälische” (NW), a car dealer wanted the combination “HF-Z” four times. Herford’s district administrator Jürgen Müller (SPD) reports to the NW that after this request there was an announcement in the road traffic office: “We said: We won’t do that anymore for the time being.” The approvals are said to have been canceled the following day.
Nevertheless, because of this request, the district had the “HF-Z” combination blocked by the road traffic office at the end of March. “Since then, such new registrations and redesignations have no longer been possible,” says Albrecht. However, only license plates with a single letter are affected. Combinations with a Z are still possible.
Sources:“World”, “New Westphalian”