German car number plates are based on location, but some are forbidden. The combination of FÜ and CK is not forbidden (I’ve posted a photo of this before), although I prefer FÜ and MM. But some number and letter combinations are described as unerwünscht. The Motor Vehicle Licensing Order (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung) prohibit numbers which are against public morals. It recommends not to issue the following: HJ – Hitlerjugend, KZ – Konzentrationslager, NS – Nationalsozialismu, SA – Sturmabteilung, SD – Sicherheitsdienst, and SS – Schutzstaffel. There are also combinations in specific registration districts, for instance Nuremberg has the letter N and this can be combined to produce Nazi abbreviations.

Weitere nicht vergebene Buchstabenkombinationen sind in Stuttgart S–ED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands), in Nürnberg N–PD (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands) und N–SU (Nationalsozialistischer Untergrund)[38], im Kreis Warendorf WAF–FE, im Kreis Steinburg IZ–AN („Nazi“ rückwärts gelesen), im Kreis Dithmarschen HEI–L (nur bei Neuzulassungen). Die Stadt Regensburg in Bayern vergab entgegen den Weisungen der Bundesregierung bis Anfang Oktober 2012 noch das Buchstabenkürzel NS. Erst nachdem eine lokale Zeitung die Behörde darauf aufmerksam gemacht hatte, wurde die Vergabe eingestellt.

Thus it was that in connection with the NSU trial (see recent entry) there were complaints in Nuremberg that the town drainage lorries had numbers starting with N-SU (this was reported last November). It was eventually decided that those 35 city vehicles would have their numbers changed and anyone else who had that sequence (450 of them) could have it changed free of charge. The city has applied for a ban on future use and meanwhile only those with a justified interest, e.g. names beginning with S and U, can get it.

It was pointed out that Audi took over a company called NSU, whose logo decorates a number of vehicles in Neckarsulm.