Nazi memorabilia will be auctioned off in New Zealand despite protests from local Jewish leaders.
Among the items up for bidding in Christchurch on Sept. 21 is a letter dated April 1941 and signed with Adolf Hitler’s personal seal, TV3 News reported.
The New Zealand Jewish Council has blasted the auction, saying it is an affront to those who perished at the hands of the Nazis.
There are no laws in New Zealand against selling Nazi regalia, although the Jewish council is urging the government to reconsider its opinion.
The auction comes two weeks after a local pizza chain withdrew a controversial advertising billboard emblazoned with an image of Hitler saluting while clutching a slice of pizza. The billboard for Hell Pizza, also in Christchurch, sparked a storm of protest, forcing the owners to back down and prompting the Jewish council to lodge an official complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority.
Fewer than 7,000 Jews live in New Zealand, according to the 2006 census, although the estimated figure is closer to 10,000. A report on anti-Semitism in New Zealand found 32 incidents in 2006 – an 88 percent increase from the previous year.
