Content Warning: This post discusses genocide, trauma-linked artifacts, and the ethics of handling historical items connected to violence. Reader discretion is advised.
In the world of the paranormal, we’re no strangers to the darker side of history. We seek the haunted, the cursed, and the tragic. We explore cemeteries, visit battlefields, and attempt to communicate with the dead. But somewhere along the way, a dangerous line has blurred; between remembrance and romanticization, between honoring the past and trivializing its pain.
A recent conversation online brought this into sharp focus for me.
A friend innocently bought a bag of foreign coins for their child from a thrift store. Buried inside were ten coins from Nazi Germany. Horrified, they took them away and asked for advice, saying that they weren’t trying to hide history. They just didn’t want something with such a dark history in their house. That’s fair, regardless if you’re into the paranormal or not.
What followed was disturbing.
People responded not with caution, but to my surprise, with enthusiasm. They offered to buy the coins. They wanted to display them in “dark oddities” collections. Some suggested turning them into art. Others said they “loved spooky items” and wanted to honor the coin’s “energy.” When I asked, genuinely, what was it about coins from a genocidal regime felt like a curiosity, I was met with vague responses about haunted vibes and imagined journeys.
But this isn’t a haunted doll. This isn’t a cursed mirror or a Victorian mourning brooch.
This is an artifact of genocide.
The Aestheticization of Atrocity
What’s happening here isn’t historical preservation. It’s aestheticization; treating trauma as a vibe, genocide as decor, pain as a collectible. And while many in the paranormal field see themselves as historians, investigators, or empathic storytellers, there’s a growing subset that treats history as a costume party or content strategy.
I’m going to be brutally honest. Holocaust memorabilia isn’t “edgy.” Serial killer art isn’t a quirky wall piece. Slave shackles aren’t “rare finds.” These items aren’t spooky. They’re soaked in real, measurable human suffering. And placing them in a cabinet alongside taxidermy and antique Ouija boards doesn’t honor the dead. It desecrates memory.
Why Context and Consent Matter
There is a world of difference between a museum exhibiting a Nazi coin with educational context…and someone placing it next to a haunted clown doll for “the vibes.” One is about remembering. The other is about collecting trauma without responsibility.
Even in spirit communication, we talk about consent: Are we disturbing the dead who cannot speak for themselves? Are we re-traumatizing spirits (or the living) by telling their stories out of context? The same must apply to the items we handle.
Because when you strip an artifact of its historical meaning, all you’re left with is spectacle.
So Where’s the Line?
The line isn’t always clear. I’ve held artifacts tied to war, death, and grief. I’ve felt the pull of energy-laden objects. But we must always ask:
- Who was harmed by this item’s existence?
- Is my interest rooted in curiosity, or consumption?
- Would a survivor or descendant feel respected or exploited by how I’m using this?
- Am I treating trauma like a prop, or like a story that deserves reverence?
Haunted Doesn’t Mean Hollow
In a field built around mystery, it’s easy to become desensitized. But the paranormal should deepen our empathy…not dull it. If we’re truly here to connect with the past, with spirits, and with unseen truths, then we must carry that connection with care.
Haunted history isn’t hollow. It’s heavy. And it’s time we stopped turning it into entertainment without understanding what it cost.
Final Thoughts
Collect dark history, if that’s your calling. But do it with reverence. With education. With consent.
Don’t confuse spooky with sacred. Some things aren’t meant to be part of your aesthetic.
They’re meant to be remembered.
If you work with haunted artifacts or paranormal history, I invite you to reflect: Are you preserving pain or just displaying it?
There’s a standard that needs to be set in the paranormal community, one that’s rooted in context, consent, and care.
If this resonated with you, consider sharing or commenting with your thoughts. I’d love to keep the conversation going.
