A German supermarket chain’s decision to sell food products styled after the country’s former communist dictatorship has sparked anger from critics, despite the chain itself claiming that there remains a significant appetite for the products.
A German supermarket’s decision to sell food products styled after the communist dictatorship of East Germany has sparked controversy in the country, with some accusing the chain of acting in such a way as to downplay the horrors of the now defunct state.
However, the supermarket itself has hit back at the accusations, insisting that the products are being stocked due to it being in demand from ex-East Germans who are now nostalgic both for the food and parts of the distinct culture of the Soviet puppet, which was known for food shortages and its infamous Stasi secret police.
According to a report on the controversy by news outlet Tagesschau, the Federal Foundation for Reappraisal — a government-linked organisation responsible for the “processing of the causes, history and consequences of the dictatorship” in East Germany — has condemned the stocking of the products, which feature communist motifs including the German Democratic Republic (GDR) hammer and compass coat of arms.
In a statement published online, the group outright rejected any claims by the REWE supermarket chain that the products were appropriate due to popular demand.
“REWE’s answer is an expression of a lack of history that leaves you stunned because the group refuses to take any responsibility,” group director Anna Kaminsky said in a press release published by the organisation.
“When the second largest food retailer in Germany justifies GDR nostalgia products solely with customer requests and the legal situation, it is not the cans that are the scandal,” the organisation’s head reportedly went on to say.
Despite the strong condemnation, REWE has remained adamant that both the products themselves as well as their GDR-styled marketing was ultimately justified, with a spokesman for the group saying that the territory formerly controlled by the communist dictatorship has developed its own “cultural identity” when it comes to food.
The now “rare” food product is also claimed by REWE to reportedly rely on the communist symbols to make it reliable, with Tagesschau reporting the manufacturer of the products as claiming that they are made under the supervision of a former cook who served in the GDR’s Volksmarine, or People’s Navy.