07 March 2008
A New Zealand auction house has rejected calls by the Jewish community to withdraw a signed photograph of Adolf Hitler and his deputy Rudolf Hess from a sale of military items next week. The 1933 photograph, which the local ‘Dominion Post’ newspaper says was previously put up for sale without success, is estimated to be worth US$ 1,600-3,200.
David Zwartz, a Jewish community leader and Israel's honorary consul in New Zealand, told the paper that the auction of the photograph and other Nazi items, including a Luftwaffe helmet, was "deeply distasteful. It promotes a view that gives prominence and support for people who were immensely evil and caused a lot of harm to the Jewish people and to the world at large." However, auctioneer Bettina Frith said: "I don't have a problem with it. It's part of history now. You could say anything about any of the wars."