Amazon pulls 'disturbing and disrespectful' Auschwitz Christmas merchandise

2 December 2019, 10:21

Amazon has been forced to remove Auschwitz themed Christmas ornaments that were on sale on its website, following a backlash of criticism.

Tweeting screenshots of the items on sale on Amazon, Auschwitz Memorial said: "Selling "Christmas ornaments" with images of Auschwitz does not seem appropriate.

"Auschwitz on a bottle opener is rather disturbing and disrespectful. We ask @amazon to remove the items of those suppliers."

Within hours the post was shared thousands of times, prompting anger and questions about how Amazon vets products on sale from its suppliers.

The items on sale included Christmas tree decorations, a bottle opener and a mouse-pad, which all displayed scenes from the Nazi death camp.

One Twitter user commented: "What is wrong with people? Who would buy that let alone make it?"

Another social media user said: "Why would you want this on your Christmas tree? Why would you even think this is a good idea at all??? This is so ???????"

One user replied: "Horrible! Glad they are removing these items. Shocked they got put on the site to begin with."

Another Twitter user found that Auschwitz-themed Valentine's gifts were also available to buy from the Amazon suppliers.

Auschwitz Memorial later tweeted: "It seems that @amazon has removed all of the "Christmas ornaments" with the images of the former Auschwitz camp. Thank you everyone for your activity and response."

However it but then posted a follow-up saying "sadly, it's not over yet" as it had discovered a "disturbing online product" from another seller - a computer mouse-pad bearing the image of a freight train used for deporting people to the concentration camps.

Amazon has said that the "products in question have been removed".

"All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action, including potential removal of their account," the company added.

It is unclear how long the products were on sale on Amazon.

The Holocaust site in Auschwitz, Poland has become a symbol of Nazi Germany’s genocide of six million European Jews, with one million killed at the camp between 1940 to 1945.