The riots became known as “Kristallnacht”, a reference to broken glass in the streets afterwards. Kristallnacht is widely considered the “turning point in the history of the Third Reich, marking the shift from anti-Semitic rhetoric and legislation to violent and aggressive anti-Jewish measures that would culminate in the Holocaust,” according to a history of the American Holocaust Memorial. Museum in Washington, D.C.
On Wednesday, the 84th commemoration of those brutal riots, KFC Germany sent push notifications to users of the fried chicken chain’s app. The notification suggested that for the “[c]commemoration of the night of the Reich pogrom”, customers could “[f]free eel to add more tender cheese to the crispy chicken,” according to a Google translation of the original post. “Now at KFCeese.”
The comeback was immediate.
“No, I don’t want soft cheese with my crispy chicken on it #9novembernoted a DJ from Berlin on Twitter.
“KFC in Germany remembers the National Socialist November pogroms against the Jews, the prelude to the Holocaust, with soft cheese and crispy chicken,” a Berlin-based reporter noted, his words dripping with sarcasm.
KFC in Germany in memory of the November National Socialist pogroms against the Jews, the prelude to the Holocaust, with soft cheese and crispy chicken pic.twitter.com/3VfdJnz2TQ
— Nicholas Potter (@n1ckism) November 9, 2022
“Is this a disgusting joke? Meat and dairy on Kristallnacht? It is certainly not acceptable, they are making jokes about one of the most painful events for Jews. The beginning of the Holocaust”, another journalist wrote.
Less than an hour after that push notification, KFC Germany sent another message, repeatedly apologizing for what it said was a system error.
“Sorry, we made a mistake,” according to a Google translation of the notification. “Due to an error in our system, we sent an incorrect and inappropriate message through our app. We are very sorry, we will check our internal processes immediately so that this does not happen again. Please excuse this error. KFC team.
SORRY WE MADE A MISTAKE, @KFC/Deutschland said after the company sent out an alert advising customers to ‘Treat yourself to crispy chicken with extra cheese for Kristallnacht Memorial Day’ today, 9 November, anniversary of the massive pogrom. pic.twitter.com/zvRlfSuIfY
— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) November 9, 2022
Contacted Thursday by the Washington Post, the chain’s media relations team relayed a more detailed explanation from KFC Germany. The statement reads as follows:
“On November 9, an automated push notification was accidentally [sic] issued to users of the KFC app in Germany which contained a manifestly unintended, insensitive and unacceptable message and for this we sincerely apologize. We use a semi-automated content creation process tied to calendars that include national celebrations. In this case, our internal review process was not properly followed, resulting in an unapproved notification being shared. We have suspended communications from the app while we review our current process to ensure such an issue does not occur again. We understand and respect the gravity and history of this day, and remain committed to fairness, inclusion and belonging for all.
The accidental promotion of KFC comes at a time when right-wing and anti-Semitic groups have increased their influence across Europe. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right populist party that some have labeled an extremist group, won 94 seats in Germany’s federal parliament in 2017 but lost 11 in last year’s election . AfD members downplayed the crimes committed during the Holocaust.
“In November 1938, Nazi leaders and members of the Hitler Youth used Kristallnacht as a violent tool to strike fear among Jewish families and communities in Germany. More than 90 Jews have been killed, thousands of businesses looted and hundreds of synagogues and homes destroyed, intensifying the persecution to exclude Jews from public life and force emigration,” said Diane Saltzman, Director of Survivor Affairs at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. in a statement to the Post.
“Today, recent incidents of misuse of Holocaust history have increased in frequency and intensity,” Saltzman continued. “Holocaust survivors, and anyone – especially in Germany – concerned about historical truth, should never have to see such a blatant attempt to minimize and capitalize on their pain. We hope people will remember, learn and study this history, and refrain from misusing it.
