German police launch probe of motorcycle ‘Hitler’

BERLIN — German police say they are investigating after a man dressed as Adolf Hitler rode around a weekend festival in a motorcycle sidecar, although he provoked more amusement than outrage.

“When people dress up as Adolf Hitler, an investigation is always necessary,” a spokesman for Saxony police tells news agency DPA on Monday.

The fake Fuehrer appeared at a classic motorcycle gathering in Augustusburg, near Chemnitz, and was seen in videos of the event posted online.

He sported a toothbrush mustache and was seated in the sidecar of a motorcycle driven by a man dressed as a 1940s-era soldier, complete with a World War II-style helmet.

People are heard laughing as the pair pass by and a policeman guarding the event pulls out his phone with a smile to take photos.

Beim traditionellen Biker-Wintertreffen auf Schloss #Augustusburg in #Sachsen kam es zu einem Vorfall, der für die Beteiligten ein Nachspiel haben wird. Ein Motorradfahrer war mit einem als Adolf Hitler verkleideten Mitfahrer im Beiwagen aufgetreten. pic.twitter.com/ZnugYIxO7G

— EHA News – Deutsch (@eha_deutsch) January 13, 2020

The officer could now face consequences for his failure to step in.

“We would have expected our colleague to put a stop to all this without the least hesitation,” the Saxony police spokesman says.

Saxony premier Michael Kretschmer also condemns the Hitler pantomime.

“Dressing up as a mass murderer is more than just bad taste,” he tweets. “This kind of behavior is unacceptable and shouldn’t be repeated.”

— AFP