The heat is on Bauer Media over its publication of Der Landser, the magazine that celebrates "heroism" by Nazi troops. I reported yesterday that Ofcom has been asked to reconsider Bauer's right to broadcasting licences.
Now evidence has come to light about more of its magazines that appear to glorify Adolf Hitler's soldiers. They are Geschichte & Wissen (History & Knowledge) and Militär & Geschichte (Military & History).
All three magazines were cited as "legitimising the Nazi regime" in a letter sent in February to the German government by Abraham Foxman, director of the US Anti-Defamation League.
In asking why the publishers were not prosecuted for the propagation of Nazism, Foxman wrote:
"The Bauer Media Group's publications may be within the letter of German law, but they may also be seen as legitimising the Nazi regime."
In reply, German government representatives said they would monitor the impact of the publications while also safeguarding freedom of the press and free speech.
Foxman responded: "Any glorification of the Nazi regime is simply unacceptable. We welcome the commitment of the German government to maintain a vigilant eye on these publications and to take action if they cross the line."
Bauer, regarded as a "secretive, private company", has become one of Europe's largest media companies, with substantial magazine, TV and radio holdings in Britain. It is also a leading magazine publisher in Australia and New Zealand.
In the UK, it claims to reach more than 19m adults every week through its magazines, such as Heat, Grazia, Take A Break and Closer and several broadcasting outlets that include Kiss FM, 4 Music and Magic.
Bauer's publishing business dates back to 1927, and it produced weekly magazines throughout the Nazi era. After the war it became Germany's largest magazine publisher with the 1948 launch of the illustrated weekly Quick and a TV listings magazine, Horen ind Sehen.
In 1985, Quick published an article alleging that Jewish groups influenced US foreign policy under the headline, "How can 6 million American Jews control 209 million non-Jewish Americans?" Quick was closed in 1992.
In 2010, The Guardian reported on the publication of the ultra right-wing magazine Zuerst! (First!), which was published by Lesen & Schenken and distributed by Bauer.
Soon after its launch there were protests against Bauer in Hamburg, the publisher's headquarters. Demonstrators held banners saying "Bauer Verlag unterstützt Nazi-Propaganda" ("Bauer Publishing supports Nazi-Propaganda"). Bauer eventually ceased distributing the magazine after a strike threat by its workers.
Sources: Flash and Flames/Associated Press/Ynetnews/Jewish Chronicle/The Guardian Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 hours ago.
Now evidence has come to light about more of its magazines that appear to glorify Adolf Hitler's soldiers. They are Geschichte & Wissen (History & Knowledge) and Militär & Geschichte (Military & History).
All three magazines were cited as "legitimising the Nazi regime" in a letter sent in February to the German government by Abraham Foxman, director of the US Anti-Defamation League.
In asking why the publishers were not prosecuted for the propagation of Nazism, Foxman wrote:
"The Bauer Media Group's publications may be within the letter of German law, but they may also be seen as legitimising the Nazi regime."
In reply, German government representatives said they would monitor the impact of the publications while also safeguarding freedom of the press and free speech.
Foxman responded: "Any glorification of the Nazi regime is simply unacceptable. We welcome the commitment of the German government to maintain a vigilant eye on these publications and to take action if they cross the line."
Bauer, regarded as a "secretive, private company", has become one of Europe's largest media companies, with substantial magazine, TV and radio holdings in Britain. It is also a leading magazine publisher in Australia and New Zealand.
In the UK, it claims to reach more than 19m adults every week through its magazines, such as Heat, Grazia, Take A Break and Closer and several broadcasting outlets that include Kiss FM, 4 Music and Magic.
Bauer's publishing business dates back to 1927, and it produced weekly magazines throughout the Nazi era. After the war it became Germany's largest magazine publisher with the 1948 launch of the illustrated weekly Quick and a TV listings magazine, Horen ind Sehen.
In 1985, Quick published an article alleging that Jewish groups influenced US foreign policy under the headline, "How can 6 million American Jews control 209 million non-Jewish Americans?" Quick was closed in 1992.
In 2010, The Guardian reported on the publication of the ultra right-wing magazine Zuerst! (First!), which was published by Lesen & Schenken and distributed by Bauer.
Soon after its launch there were protests against Bauer in Hamburg, the publisher's headquarters. Demonstrators held banners saying "Bauer Verlag unterstützt Nazi-Propaganda" ("Bauer Publishing supports Nazi-Propaganda"). Bauer eventually ceased distributing the magazine after a strike threat by its workers.
Sources: Flash and Flames/Associated Press/Ynetnews/Jewish Chronicle/The Guardian Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 hours ago.