Hitler clothing store in India to change name
Owner gives in, citing appeals from officials and dozens of calls per day from around the world
JTA — The owners of a men’s clothing store in the Indian state of Gujarat said they would change the store’s name from Hitler.
The store in Ahmedabad is named for one of the proprietor’s grandfathers, whose nickname was Hitler. He reportedly was called Hitler “because of his strict nature,” according to The Times of India.
Shop owner Rajesh Shah told The Indian Express that he and his business partner Manish Chandani decided Monday evening to change the name because they were “getting political pressure” to do so.
“We received at least 10 calls every day from the US, the UK, Dubai, Germany and Israel. It was getting very annoying, as many of these people called at odd hours,” Shah told the Indian Express.
Israeli consul general to the Indian city of Mumbai, Orna Sagiv, on Monday during a visit to Gujarat asked state officials to intervene in order to convince the owners to change the store’s name, according to The Associated Press.
Shah told the Indian Express that a visit by local officials helped convince them to change the store’s name.
Shah said he did not know about Hitler’s history, except that he was a strict man, until he started researching it on the Internet.
Jews from the local synagogue had visited the store last week to express concern over its name. Jewish community members said they believe the owners are not as ignorant of the history of Hitler as they say.
