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| Army Unit Says It Regrets Using Photo of Nazi War Criminal to Honor Battle of the Bulge | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A unit of the United States Army said on Tuesday that it regrets sharing a colorized photograph of a Nazi war criminal in a Facebook post commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge after the post drew a widespread backlash on social media. | |
| The photo was posted on the Facebook page of the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps on Monday morning, the first post in what the corps said would be a weekslong series about the battle. It was accompanied by a short, dramatic narrative about how the German officer, Joachim Peiper, decided to “gamble everything” and attack Allied forces in the Ardennes Forest on Dec. 16, 1944. | The photo was posted on the Facebook page of the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps on Monday morning, the first post in what the corps said would be a weekslong series about the battle. It was accompanied by a short, dramatic narrative about how the German officer, Joachim Peiper, decided to “gamble everything” and attack Allied forces in the Ardennes Forest on Dec. 16, 1944. |
| Peiper was also the commander of troops who would, a day later, commit what is known as the Malmedy massacre, during which more than 80 unresisting American prisoners were gunned down by a German SS armored division, which was not included in the corps’ post. | Peiper was also the commander of troops who would, a day later, commit what is known as the Malmedy massacre, during which more than 80 unresisting American prisoners were gunned down by a German SS armored division, which was not included in the corps’ post. |
| The portrait of Peiper was also shared on Monday on the Defense Department’s Facebook page before being deleted. The department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. | The portrait of Peiper was also shared on Monday on the Defense Department’s Facebook page before being deleted. The department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. |
| Many, including a public affairs officer with the Army, were quick to criticize the posts on social media. | Many, including a public affairs officer with the Army, were quick to criticize the posts on social media. |
| “I am dumbfounded by the decision to prominently display a Nazi on military social media on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge,” the public affairs officer, Lt. Col. Brian Fickel, said on Twitter. (Colonel Fickel’s biography on the site stipulates that “tweets are my own opinion and do not represent the Department of Defense or the United States Army.”) | “I am dumbfounded by the decision to prominently display a Nazi on military social media on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge,” the public affairs officer, Lt. Col. Brian Fickel, said on Twitter. (Colonel Fickel’s biography on the site stipulates that “tweets are my own opinion and do not represent the Department of Defense or the United States Army.”) |
| One comment on the corps’ post called the photo a “nazi glam shot.” Some also criticized the write-up accompanying the photo, with one commenter saying it was a “‘fanboy’ flavored piece.” | One comment on the corps’ post called the photo a “nazi glam shot.” Some also criticized the write-up accompanying the photo, with one commenter saying it was a “‘fanboy’ flavored piece.” |
| The narrative begins with an anecdote about Peiper, who “hated to be alone with his thoughts,” according to the post. | The narrative begins with an anecdote about Peiper, who “hated to be alone with his thoughts,” according to the post. |
| “There was an atmosphere of heaviness,” the narrative reads. “This was the way he always thought the end of the world would feel.” | “There was an atmosphere of heaviness,” the narrative reads. “This was the way he always thought the end of the world would feel.” |
| Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement Tuesday that “we should be honoring the brave soldiers who fought the Nazis and helped defeat their evil, anti-Semitic and hateful regime.” | Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement Tuesday that “we should be honoring the brave soldiers who fought the Nazis and helped defeat their evil, anti-Semitic and hateful regime.” |
| “Prominently featuring the colorized image of a Nazi war criminal does exactly the opposite: It serves to glorify Nazism,” he said. | “Prominently featuring the colorized image of a Nazi war criminal does exactly the opposite: It serves to glorify Nazism,” he said. |
| The Airborne Corps said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning that the “intent was to tell the full story of the Battle of the Bulge, which will continue here, by explaining the incredible odds that were stacked up against the American Soldier by the time the reserve was called in on 18 Dec.” | The Airborne Corps said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning that the “intent was to tell the full story of the Battle of the Bulge, which will continue here, by explaining the incredible odds that were stacked up against the American Soldier by the time the reserve was called in on 18 Dec.” |
| Col. Tage Rainsford, a spokesman for the Airborne Corps, said that the image had been bought from a community photo sharing website called ipernity, but that it was not immediately clear who sold the photo. He said a black-and-white version of the photo originally came from the National Archives. | Col. Tage Rainsford, a spokesman for the Airborne Corps, said that the image had been bought from a community photo sharing website called ipernity, but that it was not immediately clear who sold the photo. He said a black-and-white version of the photo originally came from the National Archives. |
| The bottom right corner of the photograph that was posted on Facebook indicates that it was “colored by Tobias Kurtz.” The photo still appeared Tuesday on an account on the art and graphics website DeviantArt bearing the name Tobias Kurtz of Slovakia, as identified on Twitter by Corey Pein, a journalist. The account shows several colorized Nazi photos and comments praising Nazis and Hitler. | The bottom right corner of the photograph that was posted on Facebook indicates that it was “colored by Tobias Kurtz.” The photo still appeared Tuesday on an account on the art and graphics website DeviantArt bearing the name Tobias Kurtz of Slovakia, as identified on Twitter by Corey Pein, a journalist. The account shows several colorized Nazi photos and comments praising Nazis and Hitler. |
| The account did not respond to a message seeking comment on Tuesday. | The account did not respond to a message seeking comment on Tuesday. |
| The episode came amid a larger conversation about how institutions including the news media portray Nazis and other white supremacists, with some arguing that portraying extremists in context-free ways helps to place them in the mainstream or in a glamorous light. | The episode came amid a larger conversation about how institutions including the news media portray Nazis and other white supremacists, with some arguing that portraying extremists in context-free ways helps to place them in the mainstream or in a glamorous light. |
| It also occurred as the military was already under scrutiny over episodes involving white supremacist symbols and reported connections between service members and extremist groups. United States military officials said this week that they were investigating whether Army cadets and Navy midshipmen had flashed hand symbols associated with hate groups during a nationally televised pregame show before their football matchup on Saturday. | It also occurred as the military was already under scrutiny over episodes involving white supremacist symbols and reported connections between service members and extremist groups. United States military officials said this week that they were investigating whether Army cadets and Navy midshipmen had flashed hand symbols associated with hate groups during a nationally televised pregame show before their football matchup on Saturday. |
| West Point recently announced that it had removed a racist slogan from its football team’s spirit flag. | West Point recently announced that it had removed a racist slogan from its football team’s spirit flag. |
| Colonel Rainsford said the Airborne Corps’ Facebook post was not intended to glorify German forces or Peiper. The unit said the post was part of a series that would last for six weeks, with each post highlighting what happened during the battle on that day 75 years ago. | Colonel Rainsford said the Airborne Corps’ Facebook post was not intended to glorify German forces or Peiper. The unit said the post was part of a series that would last for six weeks, with each post highlighting what happened during the battle on that day 75 years ago. |
| The Airborne Corps was one of numerous American military units that fought in the Battle of the Bulge, a surprise counterattack by the Germans that was one of their last attempts to turn the tide of the war after the Battle of Stalingrad and the D-Day landings. The Americans sustained about 75,000 casualties during the battle and the Germans about 80,000 to l00,000, according to an Army history. | The Airborne Corps was one of numerous American military units that fought in the Battle of the Bulge, a surprise counterattack by the Germans that was one of their last attempts to turn the tide of the war after the Battle of Stalingrad and the D-Day landings. The Americans sustained about 75,000 casualties during the battle and the Germans about 80,000 to l00,000, according to an Army history. |
| Peiper was later tried by an American military tribunal and spent more than 10 years in prison. He traveled to France in 1969 and worked in public relations for an auto dealer. | Peiper was later tried by an American military tribunal and spent more than 10 years in prison. He traveled to France in 1969 and worked in public relations for an auto dealer. |
| In 1976, a group of armed Frenchmen surrounded his house and fought a gun battle with him, The New York Times reported. He was believed to have died in the attack. | In 1976, a group of armed Frenchmen surrounded his house and fought a gun battle with him, The New York Times reported. He was believed to have died in the attack. |
| Violence in his name, however, continued: In 1977, Reuters reported that a group calling itself the “Peiper Group” claimed responsibility for several attacks on Jewish and antiracist organizations in France. | Violence in his name, however, continued: In 1977, Reuters reported that a group calling itself the “Peiper Group” claimed responsibility for several attacks on Jewish and antiracist organizations in France. |