Germany renews protest over Hitler wine labels

net1

Germany has issued a fresh protest to Italy over a winery that labels its bottles with portraits of Adolf Hitler.

Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries has written to her Italian counterpart to say the labels are "contemptible and tasteless".

The wine is available legally in Italy, and it can also be purchased on the internet.

Its sale is illegal in Germany, where products bearing images or slogans from the Nazi era are outlawed.

Bavaria state said it was opening an investigation to see if any of the bottles had crossed the border.

In her letter to Italian Justice Minister Roberto Castelli, Zypries expressed hope that Italy would act as part of

common European efforts to fight racism and xenophobia.

Germany's embassy in Rome has been protesting about the bottles since 1997, with little success.

The so-called Fuehrerwein bottles are part of Alessandro Lunardelli's historic line, and feature 14 different labels portraying Hitler and other Nazis, and slogans like Sieg Heil.

Other labels in the same line include portraits of Italy's former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, and former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

Mr Lunardelli says the labels are a great marketing success

rolfw

LOL, why let good taste get in the way of a profit.

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