Barclays is preparing to adopt a version of ABN's stylised heraldic shield if the merger goes ahead, following an informal agreement between the two parties.
However, the merger is being challenged by a rival offer from a consortium of Royal Bank of Scotland, Banco Santander and Fortis.
The Netherlands was occupied for five years during World War Two and many in the country are still sensitive to Nazi imagery. The country suffered heavy fighting before being liberated towards the end off 1944.
The Barclays eagle predates the Nazi era by about 230 years, going back to 1690 when its origins were established in Lombard Street in the City of London.
The image has been adapted many times over the years, most recently in 2004. Prior to this, brand consultants Interbrand were commissioned in 1999 to make the Barclays logo softer and less aggressive.
The Barclays logo features an eagle --- the bird of Odin -- which has also been part of the German coat of arms for at least 800 years. The Nazis changed the eagle and set it upon a swastika in 1935.