Photo: DPA

Jewish group sues Amazon for Nazi books

Published: 25 Jul 09 10:58 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20090725-20819.html

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is to sue online bookseller Amazon for selling extreme right-wing books, the AJC’s Berlin office announced Friday.

According to the AJC, around 50 books on sale on Amazon’s German website contain anti-Semitic sentiments, trivialise National Socialism, and deny the Holocaust.

Some of the books have been classed as endangering to youth, a statement by the AJC said. Amazon are also accused of advertising other books by the same authors on the Google search engine.

Deidre Berger, director of the Jewish Committee’s Berlin office, said in a statement, “It is unacceptable that books are being sold on Amazon.de that can otherwise only be found in specifically right-wing bookshops.”

"We cannot let the spread of internet sales erode laws that ban Holocaust denial and incitement to hatred of minorities in Germany," the statement added.

The AJC is calling on Amazon to remove all the books in question from its catalogue immediately.

Amazon spokeswoman Christine Höger responded by promising that the company would check its bookseller’s conditions in relation to the books, but added that Amazon was a retailer, not a “regulatory institution.”

“Private companies cannot and should not judge the contents of the media, as they do not have the expertise to do so,” Höger said in a statement.

According to Höger, companies like Amazon are dependent on courts, state regulators and censors for such judgements. “The accusation that Amazon specifically advertises books with National Socialist contents is inaccurate and offensive to Amazon employees,” the statement added.

DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

Fark It! Digg This Facebook  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This
Today's headlines
TRAGEDY IN DUISBURG
Photo: DPA

Own party now turns on Duisburg mayor

Embattled Duisburg Mayor Adolf Sauerland faced demands to resign from his own conservative party on Friday over the Love Parade tragedy that left 21 people dead. READ »

Photo: DPA

Germany wins double-gold at European championships

Germany scored double-gold Thursday night at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona, taking first place in both the women’s 100 metres sprint and the javelin throw. READ »

Photo: DPA

Skilled migrants urgently needed, says minister

With Germany industry facing a looming skills shortage, Economy Minister Rainer Brüderle revealed on Friday he was planning a major recruitment drive to attract skilled migrants. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Behemoth wine barrel to be tapped after 400 years

The world’s oldest giant wine barrel, held in a Saxony-Anhalt hunting mansion, has been refilled for the first time in its 400-year history and will be filling glasses at a festival beginning on Friday. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Photo: DPA

Elderly woman robbed by fake relative after weekend reunion

Police are searching for a woman who robbed a retiree after she claimed to be a relative and spent the weekend at her home along with a child and dog, police said on Thursday. READ »

Mothers with their children at the employment centre. Photo: DPA

Single-parent families on the rise in Germany

The number of single-parent families in Germany has risen over the past decade, with nearly one in five mothers and fathers now raising their children on their own, a national “microcensus” revealed Thursday. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Weatherman Kachelmann released from jail

Four months after he was arrested for allegedly raping his girlfriend, weatherman Jörg Kachelmann was released from custody on Thursday. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Home offices should be tax-deductible, court rules

Teachers, professors and other people who keep a second office at home are in for a windfall after a court ruled Thursday that tax deductions on home offices should be expanded. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

More National
Highlights
Photo: El Pais
GALLERY »
Remembering the Love Parade victims: They came from across Germany and as far as Australia, Bosnia and China. Fourteen young Germans and seven foreigners died in the hellish crush at the Love Parade in Duisburg on July 24.
Photo:Warner Bros.
LIFESTYLE »
The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany
Photo: DPA
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Beyond Oktoberfest: A guide to German beer and wine festivals

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

799 jobs available
469 new jobs this week
6 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest news from The Local in Sweden
Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
News from DeutschlandOnline
Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Sales managers - country wide
The Local is seeking talented and experienced media sales professionals for our online advertising sales in Germany
FULL JOB DETAILS
Flat rate internet + free calls to USA, UK, Canada and more
Surf‘n’Talk service from TKS offers a powerful combination of high-speed Internet connectivity along with an around-the-clock flat for calls to your “home country”. Find out more at the TKS website.
INFO > www.tkscable.com
JOB: Sales position @ Globe Business College Munich
GBCM is currently seeking an experienced sales person to work in the area of student recruitment in Germany and internationally
FULL JOB DETAILS
JOB: Customer Service Agent - Munich
Mr Lodge GmbH, Germany's biggest agency for furnished apartments, is looking for an English native speaker
FULL JOB DETAILS

The Local Europe GmbH
Linienstrasse 214
10119 Berlin
Germany