JTA – An ad featuring Adolf Hitler placed at a Turkish mall was pulled following complaints by Jewish leaders.
The ad at the Sapphire Mall in Istanbul was promoting a wax museum. It featured a large color portrait of the late Nazi leader standing behind a podium.
The text read, “If you could meet anyone, who would it be?” Other choices included Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Napolean Bonaparte, Suleiman I, Elvis Presley, Leonardo da Vinci and Michael Jackson. Hitler was the only figure whose picture was displayed.
“This commercial was pulled after Jewish leaders complained about it,” Rifat Bali, a Turkish historian who has written several books about Turkish Jewry, told JTA. He added that the ad “did not appear to glorify Hitler in any way,” though such cases have been observed in the past in Turkey.
Is our live election coverage important to you?
Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:
- Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold;
- Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and
- Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNation streaming film series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.
Join The Times of Israel Community
JOIN NOW
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this