A Bavarian hairdresser has removed advertisements that featured Adolph Hitler after authorities concluded that it broke the law banning the use of Nazi imagery. The catch? Her catchphrase “waxing against the right” was intended to raise funds and awareness against right-wing extremism.
Urusla Gresser, owner of Boderwerk, a beauty salon in the southern Bavarian city of Cham describes herself as a “rebel hairdresser”. She was fed up with talk, and wanted to take action against xenophobia and racism that has come to front stage with the recent refugee situation in German and the increase in support for far-right parties such as the National Democratic Party and the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“Waxing Against the Right”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV_bdD8eFlo&feature=youtu.be
Gresser’s idea was to create posters advertising hair removal, with Hitler’s face alongside the slogan “Waxing Against the Right”. The plastic strip along Hitler’s lip could be ripped off (like a wax itself), revealing the message: “One wax = one euro donation against the right”.
For each customer who gets a haircut, shave or a wax, one euro will be donated to an anti-right-wing group, with the goal of “make the world more beautiful,” according to her website. One of those groups is Exit Deutschland, a group founded by an ex-neo-Nazi to assist people to leave right wing, racist organizations.
Despite all good intentions …
Although Gresser is clearly not a right-wing extremist, prosecutors warned her that the advertisements broke the law. Specifically, using a picture of the dictator has been illegal in Germany as part of the denazification process since the end of World War II. The use of images of Hitler is only allowed in a certain context, such as citing a history book. Authorities warned that especially non-German speakers, in this case, could misunderstand her intended anti-fascist message.
Prosecutors opened an investigation, claiming that her use of Nazi symbols was not allowed, despite her intentions. Gresser agreed to stop using the images, however, and the authorities dropped the case.
And while the images may be gone, they have still given the desired effect: to get people talking about the current situation of right-wing extremist groups.
