GERMANY: German aids awareness group outrages country's Jewish community by using Hitler in ad campaign

Record ID: 402709

  • Title: GERMANY: German aids awareness group outrages country's Jewish community by using Hitler in ad campaign
  • Date: 7th September 2009
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 07, 2009) (REUTERS) STEPHAN KRAMER, SECRETARY GENERAL OF GERMANY'S CENTRAL COUNCIL OF JEWS SEATED AT DESK PAN DOWN KRAMER (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHAN KRAMER, SECRETARY GENERAL OF GERMANY'S CENTRAL COUNCIL OF JEWS SAYING: "First I thought it was a joke when people told me that this was a campaign, a serious campaign to be initiated and launc
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Health,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA49DSBJKGOGN00992JA6DUSQU7
  • Story Text: A German aids awareness group has used a look-alike of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in an advertising campaign, outraging the country's Jewish community.
    In a 45 second advertisement to be shown on German television and in cinemas, viewers will get to see blurry images of a Hitler lookalike having sex with a woman, followed by the message "Aids is a mass murderer" and "Protect yourself."
    The commercial was commissioned by the Berlin-based "Regenbogen (rainbow) - Stop Aids" organisation which refused to comment on camera.
    Stephan Kramer, secretary general of Germany's Central Council of Jews, told Reuters Television in an interview that he was outraged by the campaign.
    "I was shocked, I was disgusted and I think the first thing they should do is take it away from the public, apologise for what they have done and try for the future to think first and then start initiatives and campaigns," Kramer said.
    "The comparison between Hitler and aids is absolutely insulting to the victims of the Holocaust and the victims of the Nazi persecution because you can prevent aids if you (protect) yourself and your partner in your sexual behaviour."
    "On the other hand the victims of the Holocaust never had a chance to flee and escape from their persecution," Kramer said.
    He agreed that the Hamburg makers of the campaign, advertising agency "Das Comitee" succeeded in attracting attention.
    "However, the collateral damage - to use a term we hear quite often - is also there. It's an insult to the victims of the Nazi era, among them gays and lesbians who were sent to concentration camps in the thousands," Kramer said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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