As of: February 4, 2024, 10:31 a.m
By: Victoria Krumbeck
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After a democracy slogan on an Edeka brochure, the supermarket rows back.
The operator reports threats against himself and his team.
Update from February 4th, 10:20 a.m.:
An Edeka operator had published a statement “for democracy – against Nazis” on its brochures.
Just a few days later, he withdrew the prospectus and publicly apologized for it.
When asked by
Spiegel
, Edeka operator Peter Simmel told of the numerous insults and threats that he and his team were confronted with after the publication of the brochure.
These included reactions such as "when we are in power, we will not forget you", "don't buy from Simmel", "a yellow star", "dirty socialist" or "have a good time you parasites", quoted Simmel.
Edeka brochure with anti-Nazi slogan: Supermarket boss faces threats
Simmel continues to stand by his statement.
By the term “Nazi” he means “serious criminals” of the Hitler regime as well as people who “wish for a dictatorship like under Hitler’s time.”
He had previously stated in his apology that people who disagreed with the current government would identify with the word “Nazi”.
However, the question remains why someone would identify as a Nazi without considering themselves one.
Simmel is apparently sticking to his apology.
He “learned that many people in our country feel left behind by politics, harassed, and unappreciated” and therefore “no longer perceive or value democracy,” he wrote to
Spiegel
.
“It stinks to people that we have too many rules and bureaucracy imposed on us, that our state apparatus is constantly growing, but that services are becoming fewer and costs are rising, that we have too much immigration of people who are not involved in the success of our country,” added Simmel added.
Advertising at Edeka: Supermarket boss withdraws anti-Nazi slogan - and receives massive criticism from customers
First report from February 3rd:
Grüna – Rarely has an advertising brochure from a supermarket chain caused more uproar.
Around the demonstrations in Germany against the right, an Edeka supermarket manager in Saxony and Thuringia also wanted to set an example for democracy.
Between sausage and salad, the Edeka brochure read: “For democracy – against Nazis”.
The statement caused a lot of criticism, so the food retailer distanced itself from the brochure and apologized for its publication.
According to the anti-Nazi brochure at Edeka: supermarket boss apologizes
Edeka Simmel had published the brochures with the anti-Nazi statement for its 20 branches in Saxony and Thuringia.
A short time later, the supermarket boss backtracked.
“Sorry, I'm sorry that my term 'Nazis' addressed people who don't agree with our current government.
That’s why you’re not a Nazi,” Peter Simmel said in a statement on January 29th.
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“I also do not agree with our current government and hope for new elections that will strengthen our liberal democracy.
Some felt offended by the wording, and I apologize to you for that,” said the Edeka boss.
Through his exchanges with his customers, he learned “that many more people identify with the word Nazi” than he thought.
“Just because you are against the current government, of course, you are not automatically a Nazi,” it continued.
Edeka supermarkets in Thuringia and Saxony: boss distances himself from brochure and apologizes
For him, Nazis are right-wing radicals who “want to abolish democracy, glorify the Hitler era and want to return to such an inhumane system.”
Apparently the pressure on Simmel from customers was high, which is why the brochure can no longer be found online.
After the statement, tempers remain tense.
Many cannot understand why Simmel would withdraw from his position, as a look at the statement posted on Facebook shows.
Some users don't understand what the Edeka boss is apologizing for.
“Completely unnecessary apology,” one comment said.
“Thank you for your brochure campaign.
She was important and right,” read another comment.
Another user thinks it's a shame that Simmel felt pressured to "apologize for an attitude that was actually self-evident." However, there are still critics of the prospectus.
In a comment, the supermarket manager was accused of “denigrating his own customers”.
Another Facebook user wrote that Simmel had a responsibility towards his staff and should not endanger their job.
(vk)