German Shops Destroy Santas Giving 'Hitler Salutes.'

Reuters ^ | 12/01/06 | Unknown

[Froufrou]

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, told Reuters on Friday the figures depicting Father Christmas with his right arm stiffly upright towards 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."

[SF Republican]

In other news it is now illegal to waive hello to anyone, because some ONE person on the planet may see a photo and think it is a salute and MAY be offended.

[newgeezer]

the stiff-armed Hitler salute that is outlawed

How stupid.

Apparently, they'd rather not know who are the Nazis in their midst.

[camle]

anybody remember "hi heidi" dolls?

[Always Right]

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.

Well that will solve the anti-Semetism is Germany. It's those damn Santa dolls. Here I thought it was the growing Arab population and the neo-Nazi types.

[Schweinhund]

Yeah, its pretty pointless. This won't save every German topic from being highjacked by a WW2 crimes discussion (last example thread: German groups protest commercialization of Christmas). But hey, every Nation got its own collective psychosis.

[Always Right]

[dashing doofus]

I understand a new law is being debated in Germany that would require all citizens to bend their knees at a minimum 20 degree angle while walking about.

[Westlander]

' Time For Plan B '

[Thumper1960]

I wonder if German schoolchildren are permitted to raise their hands in class, or do they just toss spitballs at the teacher to be recognized.

I can see where German schoolgirls might be forbidden from raising their hands....who wants to see that armpit-afro every time a correct answer is forthcoming.

[Thumper1960]

The letters 'N','A', 'Z' and 'I' may be banned, as well.

[Tatze]

[dashing doofus]

Gott sei Dank!

[tumblindice]

SSanta?

[Thumper1960]

Ist Gott verboten worden?

[dashing doofus]

Of course, what WAS I THINKING? Gott ist Tod in Deutschland.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Actually, racist organizations in the United States are very much into Santa Klaus (Claus?), incidentally.

[Schweinhund]

Totgesagte leben länger...

[KarlInOhio]

Santa's dark secret: the North Pole isn't a happy little toy workshop and those aren't elves working there.

Spielwaren macht frei.

[Ieatfrijoles]

I saw recently on DWTV, Germans flipping off attendees of a Nazi convention. It only took 75 years but I knew those Germans had it in them.