Hitler headless - finally
Did you hear about the man in Berlin who ripped off Hitler’s head 2 days ago?
Doesn’t that sound exactly like the start of a lame joke? But it’s true: 64 years after Stauffenberg botched his assassination attempt some random guy from Berlin managed to finally fulfill the task and rip off Hitler’s head. High time, if you ask me. I am so proud.
Ok, so it was only the head of a wax figure in the new Madame Tussaud’s branch in Berlin - but it’s the thought that counts. When I first heard of it, I thought it was brilliant. I don’t know if the incident made an appearance in the news in your corner of the world, but over here it was in the 8 o’clock news on 2 consecutive days. I really hope the guy will get some lucrative offer for an exclusive interview or something to help him pay the fines.
Of course, this whole stunt was just an empty gesture, and I’m sure the figure will be repaired soon and Madam Tussaud’s will go on making shitloads of money from hapless idiots. And the guy who did it (apparently an ex-cop, of all things) will have ample opportunity to regret his little exhibition of anti-fascist activity when he goes to court for “causing damage to property and bodily harm” (he pushed aside one of the museum employees guarding the exhibit). He will probably have to pay through his nose for the damages - while Madame Tussaud’s no doubt are rubbing heir hands in glee over the welcome publicity.
I never got the appeal of these wax figure exhibits anyway and to call Madame Tussaud’s a museum is just ridiculous in my eyes. So, while I don’t mind them asking exorbitant admission fees for the chance for people to get their picture taken with the wax effigy of their favorite celebrity (whatever that’s supposed to be good for), I have my doubts about including a person like Hitler in this money-making circus. But if you include such a controversial figure, I guess you have to be prepared for something like this to happen.
The only one I am feeling a bit sorry for in all this is the artist who actually sculpted this particular wax figure. Not enough that he had to stare at this creepy visage while he made it the first time, now he will have to do it all over again to repair the damn thing. Not exactly an enviable task…
July 8th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
It was news here as well! Why is Hitler featured in Madame Tussaud’s by the way!?
Sandier Pasturess last blog post..Dubai bye?
July 9th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Wow, if it made it even into the news in Dubai it must have been a big deal.
As to your question:
They do have some historical figures as well besides all the modern celebrities. (To justify calling themselves a museum.)
I think, they have Churchill and some other politicians, kings and such people in London. They also apparently have our former chancellor Helmut Kohl in Berlin (the living one doesn’t seem to be too happy about it, though). So they probably figured, since Hitler is part of Germany’s history, they might as well add him, too. Mainly, I think, for controversy’s sake.
As long as people pay for it… *shrug* I certainly wouldn’t.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Hi there, I guess it was in the swedish news as well. I did not think it was funny and also questioning Y this “museum” should have a copy of Hitler in the first place. The germans are not directly proud of their history and I can clearly remember when I studied in Germany that Germans hate questions such as “what do you think of the nazis and so on..
Dinas last blog post..Dress from Givenchy couture
July 10th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Hi Dina,
)
of course we are not exactly proud of our history - at least not the part including this Hitler idiot. There’s really nothing to be proud of there, is there?
(Personally, I have never understood how anybody can be proud of something he wasn’t personally involved in or had absolutely no possibility to decide (like history or nationality), but that’s a whole other topic.
Anyway, this whole Madame Tussaud’s business at least made for a nice diversion in the news for a couple of days.