AMAZON HAS been condemned after it was discovered that Christmas tree ornaments featuring pictures of Auschwitz were being listed on the site alongside other Holocaust-themed decorations.
The American e-commerce company removed the products from sale after the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum expressed concern on social media over the sale of the items.
“Selling "Christmas ornaments" with images of Auschwitz does not seem appropriate,” they wrote on Twitter.
“Auschwitz on a bottle opener is rather disturbing and disrespectful.
Christmas tree ornaments and other decorations featuring pictures of the Nazi concentration camp were found on the website where they were described as "the ideal city souvenir" and perfect to "give it to a friend on different occasions as a gift".
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. https://t.co/0uG2JG558e pic.twitter.com/ucZoTWPk1W
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) December 1, 2019
More than 1.1 million people were systematically murdered at Auschwitz over the course of the Second World War.
Despite Amazon adhering to a request to delete the listings from sale, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum went on to discover similar items remained available through the site.
These included a mousepad which was, disturbingly, described as the "massacre Auschwitcz Birkenau Jewish death".
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, told the New York Times: "It is hard to fathom why anyone would want to hang a Christmas ornament adorned with images of a concentration camp.
"These ornaments are deeply offensive by any measure. We’re relieved that Amazon has removed these items from sale."
Sadly, it is not over yet @amazon. The "Massacre Auschwitcz (!) Birkenau Jewish Death" mousepad is another disturbing online product. We are not sure if @yadvashem would like the "Christmas ornament" with a freight car used for deporting Jews for extermination either. https://t.co/qDEEzqzwSU pic.twitter.com/wXExhFZPmV
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) December 1, 2019
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed in a statement that the products have been removed from the website and that "all sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action, including potential removal of their account".
The discovery of these items comes months after online retailer Redbubble faced similar criticism over the sale of pillows, t-shirts and other items depicting the former Nazi concentration camp.
