Man rips head from Hitler wax figure in Berlin - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

waichingliu81 · 07-05-2008, 10:07 AM

Reuters - 52 minutes ago

BERLIN (Reuters) - A man tore the head from a controversial waxwork figure of Adolf Hitler on the opening day of Berlin's Madame Tussauds museum on Saturday, police said.

Just minutes after the museum opened, the 41-year-old German man pushed aside two security men guarding the exhibit.

"Then he went over to the figure and ripped off the head," a police spokesman said.

The man tore off the head in protest at the exhibit, the spokesman added. The police were alerted and arrested the man, who did not resist. He was being investigated for assault and damaging property.

The waxwork figure of a glum-looking Adolf Hitler in a mock bunker during the last days of his life was criticised as being in bad taste. A media preview of the new branch of Madame Tussauds on Thursday was overshadowed by a row over the exhibit.

Critics said it was inappropriate to display the Nazi dictator, who started World War Two and ordered the extermination of Europe's Jews, in a museum alongside celebrities, pop stars, world statesmen and sporting heroes.

Dressed in a grey suit, the figure of Hitler gazed downwards with a despondent stare, his arm outstretched on a large wooden table with a map of Europe on the wall of his gloomy bunker.

About 25 workers spent about four months on the waxwork, using more than 2,000 pictures and pieces of archive material and also guided by a model of the "Fuehrer" in the London branch of Madame Tussauds where it is standing upright.

It is illegal in Germany to show Nazi symbols and art glorifying Hitler and the exhibit was cordoned off to stop visitors posing with him.

Unobtrusive signs asked visitors to refrain from taking photos or posing with Hitler "out of respect for the millions of people who died during World War Two". Camera surveillance and museum officials were meant to stop inappropriate behaviour.

Institutions such as the foundation for Germany's central Holocaust memorial site condemned the idea of the exhibit as tasteless, saying it had been included to generate business.

The wax figure is the latest in a gradual breaking down of taboos about Hitler in Germany more than 60 years after the end of the war and the Holocaust in which some six million Jews were killed.

The 2004 film "Downfall" provoked controversy as it portrayed the leader in a human light during the last days of his life and last year a satire about Hitler by Swiss-born Jewish director Dani Levy was released in Germany.

(Reporting by Paul Carrel and Sabine Ehrhardt; editing by Ibon Villelabeitia)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/200807...d-1a5e080.html

ABlairican Pie · 07-07-2008, 12:37 AM

I could see Hitler in something like a Chamber of Horrors exibit. Only have him
with a pistol perched in his mouth or whatever (even though it is believed he took poison) at the very end in his bunker. Or have a fantasy scenario where the Soviets or the Allies are about to hang him high on the gallows.

dawsongirl · 07-07-2008, 12:50 AM

lol...he just did something sooooo many others wanted to do in the 30s and 40s.

At least the wax figure wasn't happy I guess. They could have made Hitler all happy and stuff. That would have been worse.

Stormtracker TF · 07-07-2008, 01:01 AM

I don't necessarily think the person should've actually DONE it, but it's never a bad thing to tear the head off of something made in Hitler's image.

catlover79 · 07-07-2008, 02:12 PM

Can't say I blame him.

07-05-2008, 10:07 AM	#1
waichingliu81 debbie allen Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2006 Location: london, england, UK Posts: 4,347	Man rips head from Hitler wax figure in Berlin Reuters - 52 minutes ago BERLIN (Reuters) - A man tore the head from a controversial waxwork figure of Adolf Hitler on the opening day of Berlin's Madame Tussauds museum on Saturday, police said. Just minutes after the museum opened, the 41-year-old German man pushed aside two security men guarding the exhibit. "Then he went over to the figure and ripped off the head," a police spokesman said. The man tore off the head in protest at the exhibit, the spokesman added. The police were alerted and arrested the man, who did not resist. He was being investigated for assault and damaging property. The waxwork figure of a glum-looking Adolf Hitler in a mock bunker during the last days of his life was criticised as being in bad taste. A media preview of the new branch of Madame Tussauds on Thursday was overshadowed by a row over the exhibit. Critics said it was inappropriate to display the Nazi dictator, who started World War Two and ordered the extermination of Europe's Jews, in a museum alongside celebrities, pop stars, world statesmen and sporting heroes. Dressed in a grey suit, the figure of Hitler gazed downwards with a despondent stare, his arm outstretched on a large wooden table with a map of Europe on the wall of his gloomy bunker. About 25 workers spent about four months on the waxwork, using more than 2,000 pictures and pieces of archive material and also guided by a model of the "Fuehrer" in the London branch of Madame Tussauds where it is standing upright. It is illegal in Germany to show Nazi symbols and art glorifying Hitler and the exhibit was cordoned off to stop visitors posing with him. Unobtrusive signs asked visitors to refrain from taking photos or posing with Hitler "out of respect for the millions of people who died during World War Two". Camera surveillance and museum officials were meant to stop inappropriate behaviour. Institutions such as the foundation for Germany's central Holocaust memorial site condemned the idea of the exhibit as tasteless, saying it had been included to generate business. The wax figure is the latest in a gradual breaking down of taboos about Hitler in Germany more than 60 years after the end of the war and the Holocaust in which some six million Jews were killed. The 2004 film "Downfall" provoked controversy as it portrayed the leader in a human light during the last days of his life and last year a satire about Hitler by Swiss-born Jewish director Dani Levy was released in Germany. (Reporting by Paul Carrel and Sabine Ehrhardt; editing by Ibon Villelabeitia) http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/200807...d-1a5e080.html

07-07-2008, 12:37 AM	#2
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	I could see Hitler in something like a Chamber of Horrors exibit. Only have him with a pistol perched in his mouth or whatever (even though it is believed he took poison) at the very end in his bunker. Or have a fantasy scenario where the Soviets or the Allies are about to hang him high on the gallows.
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

07-07-2008, 01:01 AM	#4
Stormtracker TF Happy Easter! Moderator Forum Idol Join Date: Jul 19, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 102,598	I don't necessarily think the person should've actually DONE it, but it's never a bad thing to tear the head off of something made in Hitler's image.
	__________________ i s .. i t ... s t i l l .. t h e . n e w .. a g e . ? . . . o r .. a m .. i ... t o o .. l a t e .? █║║▌║█ ║▌║▌│║▌║▌█║▌║█ ║▌║▌│║▌║▌█║▌║█ ║▌║▌│║▌║▌█║▌║█ ║▌║▌│║▌║▌█

07-07-2008, 02:12 PM	#5
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Can't say I blame him.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

07-07-2008, 12:50 AM	#3
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	lol...he just did something sooooo many others wanted to do in the 30s and 40s. At least the wax figure wasn't happy I guess. They could have made Hitler all happy and stuff. That would have been worse.