“The Führer’s facial hair and name can also be reinstated in the virtual world” Taboos, Authenticity and the Second World War in digital game

History is not only the construction of a past, but is also its interpretation. In this paper we study examples of taboos in historical representations of World War II in digital games as sources for contemporary collective identities. To this end we analyze two distinct phenomena: legal and cultural taboos determining what can be shown and what can be said in these games. We will show how a cultural and political paradigm shift has occurred in Austria and Germany in recent years. Thus, the portrayal of the Holocaust is no longer only under- stood as a taboo but also as a necessary part of our culture of remembrance. In a second part, we will look at how taboos are not only discussed but also co-con- structed within the gaming community on the occasion of authenticity debates.