Volkswagen announced on Sept. 7 that the German car company has dropped its Mexico City distributor after it discovered a photo of Adolf Hitler hanging on the dealership’s wall.
The Algemeiner reported that Mexico City writer Fernanda Martinez tweeted out a photo of the image, which depicted Hitler at a Nazi rally. The image also displayed a Volkswagen Beetle.
“The fact that their historical memory is an apology for racism causes sadness and deep concern,” Martinez tweeted.
According to Reuters, Volkswagen cut ties with the dealership on Sept. 7.
“We strongly disapprove of (the distributor) showing those images at its facilities, which showed a regime that emphasized hatred and discrimination at a point in history that has fortunately been left behind,” Volkswagen’s Mexico chapter said in a statement.
Prior to Volkswagen cutting ties with the dealership, the Simon Wiesenthal Center had called for the German car company to take action.
“Last thing they need or world wants is re-connecting the car to its Nazi roots,” the Jewish group tweeted. “Volkswagen should launch global campaign to help create generation of anti-Nazis.”
Volkswagen @volkswagen must take strong action. Last thing they need or world wants is re-connecting the car to its Nazi roots. Volkswagen should launch global campaign to help create generation of anti-Nazis. https://t.co/jr39xyTiz4
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) September 8, 2020
Algemeiner Editor-In-Chief Dovid Efune tweeted that the incident shows that Volkswagen is “is apparently having difficulty shaking off its Nazi past. Last year, CEO Herbert Diess echoed Auschwitz slogan “Arbeit macht frei” at a meeting, telling executives ‘Ebit macht frei’ — (an inapt reference to profits.) And now this.”
German car maker @VW is apparently having difficulty shaking off its Nazi past.
Last year, CEO Herbert Diess echoed Auschwitz slogan “Arbeit macht frei” at a meeting, telling executives “Ebit macht frei” — (an inapt reference to profits.)
And now this:https://t.co/eDluSsk4Sf
— Dovid Efune (@Efune) September 8, 2020
Volkswagen was founded in Germany during the 1930s as the “people’s car.” Reuters noted that in May, Volkswagen rescinded an advertisement that appeared to show hands making a white power symbol.
