China-made Hitler tea cup shocks Germany
Staff Reporter
2014-04-14
The Hitler tea cup. (Internet photo)
Controversial tea cups bearing the face of Adolf Hitler have been traced back to a Chinese manufacturer, reports Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao.
The 5,000 tea cups, which feature a faded stamp of Hitler's side profile together with pink roses and calligraphy, had been on sale at the German housewares and furniture chain Zurbruggen for €1.99 (US$2.75).
"Our workers are dismayed and embarrassed, the producer has apologized for the error, and we have apologized to our customers for this terrible mistake that resulted from a chain of unfortunate circumstances," the store owner said in a statement, adding that all customers who return the cups will receive a €20 (US$27.75) gift voucher as compensation.
So far only 16 of the 175 have been returned. The remaining stock has already been destroyed, and the store is trying to get in touch with the Chinese manufacturer who made them to figure out how the error, which was not noticed when the cups were unboxed last month, could have occurred.
While Hitler's image and the swastika are commonly seen on products in China, the image of the former Nazi dictator is banned in Germany and could lead to a maximum three-year jail term. Nearly a thousand people were convicted of the crime in 2011, though the majority were only required to pay a fine.
The Haus der Geschichte, a museum of contemporary history in Bonn, Germany, has reportedly indicated a desire to purchase the cup for its collection.
