Curiosity
Hitler Wine? The Wine That’s Causing Furor
UDINE, ITALY- SEPTEMBER, 12: Bottles of wine with labels depicting Nazi leader Adolf Hitler sit on a shelf in the cellar of “Lunardelli Wine” September 12, 2003 in Collaredo di Prato near Udine, Italy. The German government has asked the Italian government to investigate whether the labels on Lunardelli’s wine, which depict many infamous Nazis, contravene a European Union resolution on combating the spread of racist images and literature. The wine?s sale is illegal in Germany, where products bearing images or slogans from the Nazi era are outlawed. (Photo by Giuseppe Cacace/Getty Images)
The Northeast Italian winery known as Vina Lunardelli is provoking the strongest response from organizations globally for the sale of what it calls “Hitler Wine”. Vina Lunardelli has started selling a product line of wines that feature images of the infamous leader of the Third Reich.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center which promotes the cause of human rights among Jews is calling on nations to ban the importation and distribution of the offensively named wine. Apparently, Vina Lunardelli has been promoting their Hitler wine for some time.
“The Wiesenthal Center denounces the marketing of these products and urges wine distributors in Italy and around the world to send the only message the owner of this firm might understand,” the Jewish human rights organization wrote in a statement Aug. 8. “…[Choose] not to do any business with someone using the Nazi mass murderer as a blatant marketing tool.”
Most recently, a Scandinavian couple was touring the Italian city of Rimini when they came across the Hitler wine being sold. Vina Lunardelli simply states that they are not trying to be offensive in the sale of the Hitler wine.
Rather, they sell wine that promotes a key historical figures of Italian and world history which includes other prominent figures such as US President Jimmy Carter, Karl Marx, Benito Mussolini, Che Guevara, and, of course, Adolf Hitler.
The minister of Italian Integration has issued a statement affirming that the Italian government and constitution reject Nazi fascism, racism, and anti-Semitism.
The office of the minister has opened up a formal inquiry into how the sale of the Hitler wine impacts the image of Italy globally.
On The Web:
Jewish human rights group calls for a global ban of ‘Hitler wine’
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/08/12/jewish-groups-calls-for-ban-hitler-wine/
Adolf Hitler Wine Boycott: Human Rights Organization Calls For Global Ban On Controversial Labels
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/14/adolf-hitler-wine-boycott_n_3756428.html
