German firm takes heat for ‘racist’ logo

A German businessman and local representative for the country’s ruling party is under fire for his company’s use of a logo seen as offensive to the country’s black community.

Thomas Neger, whose last name roughly translates to “negro” or another highly-offensive pejorative of similar spelling that has historically been used against individuals of African descent, runs a namesake, family-owned roofing company in the western German city of Mainz.

It is not the company’s name, however, that is of concern to critics, but instead the logo it chose — seen by some as an offensive caricature.

The logo gained national attention after Felix Schmitt, a spokesperson for the Green Party, reported a social media post featuring a picture of the company’s logo to Facebook earlier this week, according to the Washington Post. Neger is a representative for the rival Christian Democratic Union, a conservative political party currently led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

At Schmitt’s request, Facebook removing the logo from the company’s Facebook page.

Following its removal, the Green Party spokesperson claimed to have received numerous death threats for reporting the page.

Black students who criticized the company’s logo also claimed to being harassed online and said they fear for their safety after receiving numerous threats. A group of female German students of African descent created a Facebook group called “Out with the logo — For a world without racism,” posting photos of themselves with posters featuring anti-racism messages.

“You can’t do anything about a name, but you can change a logo,” said one commenter.

Neger blamed the escalation of tensions surrounding the company’s logo on his critics, saying he would not change the long-used image.

“The goal of my grandfather was to create a strong and proud company logo and according to my own experience, black people in particular have reacted positively to it in the past,” he said.

Although caricatures of non-Caucasian ethnic groups are increasingly seen as offensive throughout Europe, similar types of images are oft-reproduced throughout the continent.

Neger’s defense of the logo, however, did not sit well with some. “Racism shouldn’t be a tradition,” one student said following Neger’s appeal.

Many have feared a rise in ultra-nationalist sentiment throughout Germany in recent years, as an influx of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East has sparked tensions.

“Many Germans have never really thought about everyday racism. In schools, racism is mainly portrayed as physical violence or right-wing extremism — but many black people experience racism through verbal remarks, or logos such as the one of Thomas Neger,” two student activists responsible for creating the anti-racism page wrote in an email to the Post.

A separate page made in response to the Facebook group called “Ein Herz für Neger” (“A heart for Neger”) was set up in defense of the company, attracting over 7,000 people — 3,000 more than the anti-racism page. The page is an obvious play on the German NGO called “A heart for children” which helps needy families.

https://www.facebook.com/Ein.Herz.fuer.Neger/photos/a.373348182848324.1073741825.373348059515003/373353729514436/?type=1&theater

Users slammed Neger’s critics, accusing them of engaging in a “campaign of hatred” against the politician.

The student association of African Studies at the University of Mainz, however, cited offensive rhetoric used online as a factor in the prevalence of racism in German society.

“Online commentators repeatedly asked the students to go back where they came from or to go back to Africa. This clearly shows the prevalence of racism in out society,” the association wrote in a statement.

“As long as individuals are attacked for their criticism of racist logos, we will not declare the debate as over,” it added.