A Nazi theme café in Indonesia has been subjected to vehement criticism along with a Thailand University's goof up of including Hitler in its superhero poster.
Indonesian authorities have questioned the restaurant owner of Soldatenkaffee (soldiers' café) which was originally opened in 2011 but courted controversy when a recent newspaper report evoked angry reactions from locals and foreigners alike.
The café located in one of Indonesia's tourist spot in West Java is heavily decorated with Nazi era memorabilia. The restaurant staff is seen in SS, or Schutzstaffel, military uniforms and the eatery has a red wall along with Hitler's portraits and the irrepressible swastika symbol.
According to Associated Press (AP), Bandung deputy mayor Ayi Vivananda said, a letter was sent to Soldatenkaffee's owner Henry Mulyana seeking queries of his motives at opening the eatery.
"Those symbols are internationally recognized to represent violence and racism," Vivananda said.
Mulayana on his restaurant facing flak and violating laws told AP, "I'm just a businessman, not a politician. I have a right to design my restaurant with anything that attracts people to come. I'm sure that I'm not violating any laws."
Meanwhile, Hitler made news again as Thailand's Chulalongkorn University put up a billboard of huge superheroes which featured the German dictator alongside the likes of Superman, Batman, Hulk and others.
The huge poster placed in front of the arts faculty of the university had 'Congratulations' written in bold white. It was a part of the University's tribute to the graduating class.
However, the poster which was put up for two days faced flak online as young graduates were seen mimicking Hitler's trademark arm salute.
The the poster was soon taken down and the university apologised for the controversial lapse.
The Art school dean Suppakorn Disatapundhu said in a statement issued Monday, "(We) would like to formally express our sincere apology for our students' Superhero mural," and added, "I can assure you we are taking this matter very seriously."
An international Jewish human rights group, Simon Wiesenthal Center, had lashed out at the poster and demanded its immediate removal.
Rabbi Abraham, an enraged dean of the centre showed his disgust in a statement on Friday. "Hitler as a superhero? Is he an appropriate role model for Thailand's younger generation - a genocidal hate monger who mass murdered Jews and Gypsies and who considered people of color as racially inferior," he said.
"The Simon Wiesenthal Center is outraged and disgusted by this public display at Thailand's leading school of higher education."
