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| German firm apologises for condoms with anti-immigration message | German firm apologises for condoms with anti-immigration message |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A German firm has apologised for producing condoms marked with an offensive message after they were used in a far-right party's campaign against immigrant births. | A German firm has apologised for producing condoms marked with an offensive message after they were used in a far-right party's campaign against immigrant births. |
| The contraceptives, ordered by the youth wing of the National Democratic party (NPD), came in black boxes bearing the slogan: "For foreigners and certain Germans". The activists sent them to lawmakers as a protest against "unchecked immigration". | The contraceptives, ordered by the youth wing of the National Democratic party (NPD), came in black boxes bearing the slogan: "For foreigners and certain Germans". The activists sent them to lawmakers as a protest against "unchecked immigration". |
| The message had a particular resonance in the country where the Nazi party also tried to control childbirth, encouraging people considered pure-blood Germans to breed, while going as far as sterilising people from other groups. | The message had a particular resonance in the country where the Nazi party also tried to control childbirth, encouraging people considered pure-blood Germans to breed, while going as far as sterilising people from other groups. |
| The condoms came with a letter, telling lawmakers: "We are protesting against unchecked immigration and the resulting population change in our country." | The condoms came with a letter, telling lawmakers: "We are protesting against unchecked immigration and the resulting population change in our country." |
| The letter added: "You are failing to provide the foundations for a family policy which will halt the demographic catastrophe facing our people." | The letter added: "You are failing to provide the foundations for a family policy which will halt the demographic catastrophe facing our people." |
| Volker Beck, a member of parliament from Germany's Green party, complained to the maker of the condoms, R&S. | Volker Beck, a member of parliament from Germany's Green party, complained to the maker of the condoms, R&S. |
| The company apologised and pledged to donate 10,000 condoms as well as the proceeds from the NPD order to a German foundation against rightwing extremism and antisemitism. | The company apologised and pledged to donate 10,000 condoms as well as the proceeds from the NPD order to a German foundation against rightwing extremism and antisemitism. |
| "We are very sorry that this major error happened and that our condoms were connected to such propaganda," the R&S head Axel Roth said in a statement. "We should have been more careful when checking the printed material." | "We are very sorry that this major error happened and that our condoms were connected to such propaganda," the R&S head Axel Roth said in a statement. "We should have been more careful when checking the printed material." |
| Germany tried in 2003 to ban the NPD, a party branded "racist, antisemitic and revisionist" by Germany's domestic intelligence service, but failed. | |
| Banning political parties is also sensitive in Germany, after the Nazi and communist regimes silenced dissent. | |
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