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Hong Kong Chain Drops Nazi-Themed Clothing
By DIRK BEVERIDGE
Associated Press Writer
August 12, 2003, 4:33 AM EDT
HONG KONG -- A Hong Kong fashion company has removed Nazi-themed clothing
from its 14 stores after complaints from Israeli and German diplomats in
the territory.
Israeli Consul General Eli Avidar had denounced the company for what he
called "immoral actions" by launching a sales campaign that "totally
desecrates the deaths of millions of people under the Nazi regime and
legitimizes evil."
German Consul General Heinrich Beuth also complained.
After receiving complaints last week, the company removed all Nazi-themed
store decorations, including flags and a propaganda video, but the clothing
remained until Monday when executives met and decided to remove the
merchandise.
"We don't want to upset anybody," said Deborah Cheng, marketing manager of
the retailer, which goes by the Internet-style name http://www.izzue.com.
"We were a bit politically insensitive. We don't wish to make any race
unhappy about it," she said Tuesday.
One of the T-shirts for sale had a portrait of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler
standing on a laurel. Decorations in the stores included red banners
adorned with swastikas and a sign that resembled a Third Reich symbol -- an
eagle above a swastika.
One outlet used a film projector to show Nazi propaganda footage.
Cheng had said earlier the company did not believe many Hong Kong Chinese
customers would be offended, but acknowledged Tuesday that executives had
not counted on getting such a response from foreigners.
Disputes over Nazi symbols as marketing tools have emerged before in Asia,
where many people are not as sensitive to the Holocaust as Europeans and
Americans are.
In April, soft drink giant Coca-Cola pulled a promotional robot figurine
adorned with what appeared to be Nazi swastikas following criticism from a
Jewish leader in Hong Kong.
Taiwan's ruling party used an image of Hitler in television ads two years
ago, but withdrew it after fierce criticism from Jewish groups.
Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press
Hong Kong store threatened over Swastikas designs
Israeli diplomats slam Hong Kong store for using Nazi theme
The Associated Press Saturday, August 9, 2003
HONG KONGGerman and Israeli diplomats have lashed out
at a Hong Kong fashion company for using swastikas and other
Nazi party symbols.
The firm, http://www.izzue.com, designed a range of clothes with
Nazi symbols and launched new decorations this past week in
its 14 stores.
"It's totally inappropriate because these symbols of the Nazi regime
stand for cruelty and crimes against humanity," a vice consul of the
German Consulate General in Hong Kong said on condition of
anonymity. "These symbols brought lot of pain not only over Europe,
but over the whole world . . . It's definitely not the way to promote
clothes."
The diplomat urged the public to boycott the shops.
The company's marketing manager, Deborah Cheng, said the
Nazi-themed decorations and clothes were not intended to cause
an outcry and may be withdrawn. She said the company had
received a few complaints from customers.
"We're seriously considering removing the displays. But before we
take them off, we have to find a replacement," she said.
Cheng added that the designer wanted the clothes to have a
military theme and did not realize that the Nazi symbols would be
considered offensive.
Israeli Consul-General Eli Avidar said the consulate has received
dozens of complaints about the displays in the past two days, the
South China Morning Post newspaper reported on its front-page
Saturday.
"People were furious, hurt and shocked that such a thing could
happen," Avidar was quoted as saying. "It is unbearable to think
that anyone can design a marketing campaign that desecrates
the deaths of millions of people."
Phone calls to the Israeli Consulate General in Hong Kong went
unanswered Saturday.
In April, soft drink giant Coca-Cola pulled a promotional robot
figurine adorned with what appeared to be Nazi swastikas following
criticism from a Jewish leader in Hong Kong.
©-free 2003 Adelaide Institute