This controversial German ‘swastika’ fairground ride which hit the headlines over its controversial design has been re-opened after operators gave it a facelift.
Operators of a controversial theme park ride in Germany that was compared to a pair of spinning swastikas have removed half of the seats to silence critics.
Video Credit: CEN/besserwiedu
The decision by the operators of the “Eagle Fly” ride at the Tatzmania theme park near the town of Loffingen in Germany’s south-western Baden-Wurttemberg state said the move came after social media commentators highlighted the rides similarity to the banned Nazi symbol.
At the time it was made public they apologised, and pledged that it would not reopen until modifications have been carried out to remove the similarities to the Nazi emblem.
The ride consisted of two sets of spinning carriages on a single metal arm and it opened at the end of July in time for the summer season.
But the ride, which was made by an Italian company, was then quickly taken out of service when the comparison to the Swastika was made public at the start of the next month (August).
The fairground’s director Rudiger Braun, 62, said that nobody who visited had made any complaints but nevertheless the social media comments had convinced them that switching the ride off and making the modification was the only course of action.
He also went on local television to publicly apologise to “anyone who feels disturbed or offended by our design”.
He said that the Italian company who created the device had removed two of the gondolas from each set of carriages, and added that it would now be repainted as well to get rid of the brown colour which was also associated with the Nazis who were originally known as the brownshirts.
It has successfully passed safety tests but will now only go back in service for guests when the new season begins next April.
Displaying the swastika or any Nazi symbols is illegal in Germany and can be punished with jail terms of up to three years for those who breach the restrictions on the “use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations” for reasons other than art, science, research or teaching.
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Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub-Editor: Alex Cope, Agency: Central European News
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