curmudgeon
2006-12-04 23:47:49 UTC
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10413748
BERLIN - A German chain of shops has removed miniature wooden Santa
Claus figures from its shelves and destroyed them after customers
complained it looked like they were giving the stiff-armed Hitler salute
that is outlawed.
Josef Lange, a spokesman for the Rossmann chain that has 1,200 outlets,
said the figures depicting Father Christmas with his right arm stiffly
upright toward the sky and holding a sack in his left hand upset some
customers.
"We were astonished by the reaction," Lange said. "It looks like he's
just pointing up to the sky and we were surprised that anyone saw the
so-called 'Hitler salute' in that. But we responded and had the entire
inventory removed and destroyed."
*It is only my Paranoia that keeps me from going insane*
CUR
BERLIN - A German chain of shops has removed miniature wooden Santa
Claus figures from its shelves and destroyed them after customers
complained it looked like they were giving the stiff-armed Hitler salute
that is outlawed.
Josef Lange, a spokesman for the Rossmann chain that has 1,200 outlets,
said the figures depicting Father Christmas with his right arm stiffly
upright toward the sky and holding a sack in his left hand upset some
customers.
"We were astonished by the reaction," Lange said. "It looks like he's
just pointing up to the sky and we were surprised that anyone saw the
so-called 'Hitler salute' in that. But we responded and had the entire
inventory removed and destroyed."
*It is only my Paranoia that keeps me from going insane*
CUR