Hitler on Ice

Pure vanilla goodness

Here at LoS we've already linked to an article about Hitler's popularity in India (Mein Kampf Vindaloo) and the subsequent use of Hitler and/or Nazi-related imagery in Indian films, TV shows and businesses (Hitler Branding) -- cases in which Indians quoted in the articles we read found the idea harmless, even amusing.  We contrasted this against instances where Hitler has made an (presumably) accidental appearance in Western products, such as coffee mugs and creamer, and provoked public apologies and genuine horror among the companies that sold those products (NO black coffee!).  We even did a post about people seeing comedy in Hitler kittens, a Hitler house and even a Hitler teapot.

Not to mention the explosion of Hitler photos done up in meme font for use in Facebook comments and the like ("I did Nazi that coming" etc.)

The Daily Mail scores big with this punny title to the latest Indian Hitler branding to outrage the West:  The Luft-wafer: Ice cream cone named after Adolf Hitler on sale in India sparks anger in Germany 

The Luft-wafer.  Hehe.  The Mail article is pretty flimsy and focuses more on the angry German reaction, but does pretty much echo the point I made in Hitler Branding that in this vast country with its own complex history, people simply aren't that aware of the extent of Hitler's crimes and thus, he's more of an icon rather than a taboo.  Like, how many people sporting a Che Guevara shirt actually know anything about the man?  A sexy open shirt, beard and a stogie may look hippy-ish, but the man wasn't really all about "peace and love".

Photos of the ice cream cone's packaging are kind of interesting.  In one, Hitler is rendered fairly realistically, but in another, he's cartoonish, wearing a swastika top hat and bow-tie that make Der Führer resemble....Uncle Sam!  They both sport eccentric facial hair and have the same glare, not to mention the same nose.  I daresay some cheeky Indian git had modeled his comical Adolf after dear old James Flagg's famous finger-pointing curmudgeon!

What that implies is beyond my ken!