A German father has started a petition against Amazon after finding fake Lego figures dressed as Nazi soldiers for sale on the website.
Manuel Hegel from Cologne was looking for child-friendly gifts for his family at Christmas and was shocked to come across figures dressed as WW2 soldiers complete with banned Nazi symbols on their uniforms and helmets.
The toys, with names like ‘Heinz’ and ‘Wolfgang’ are recommended for children from the age of seven.
Shock: Manuel Hegel from Cologne was looking for Christmas presents online when he accidentally stumbled upon the Nazi toys for sale on Amazon
Offensive: The figures are dressed as WW2 soldiers complete with banned Nazi symbols on their uniforms and helmets
Not in our name: The Danish toy company has released a statement condemning the creator of the Nazi fake Lego soldiers
One was described; ‘Custom design Lego figure-Wehrmacht soldier Heinz – machine gun shooter with helmet, MG34 machine gun with two-legs and detachable magazine.’
The seller from Frankfurt used Amazon-Marketplace as a distribution channel for his Nazi figures.
Marketplace sellers are independent operators who offer both new and used merchandise.
The shocked Hegel has now launched an online petition to banish Nazi figures from the platform.
It states: ‘These figures represent one of the most inhumane regimes in world history, and by playing with them children accept these uniforms, weapons, etc. as normal, which represents an unacceptable influence on the children.
Another figure has been painted to look like a World War II Nazi medic
Bizarre: The seller has shown two of his creations appearing at a control post
Solider: It appears as if the Amazon Marketplace seller purchases normal Lego figures and paints them with Nazi symbols
‘For this reason, I urge you to take action against the manufacturers of such figures, if possible legally, and also to draw the attention of Amazon to this case, because any decent citizen will have the horrible notion that such figures will soon be under the Christmas tree and thus could fall into the hands of children.’
The petition has so far drawn 500 signatures.
Meanwhile the manufacturer Lego has spoken out and says the figure is revealed as a fake.
‘As a toy manufacturer, imagination and ingenuity are our passion, and we see it as our task to promote the imagination and creativity of children with high-quality toys,’ said press spokesperson Martina Stein.
‘The product shown is not a Lego product. We dissociate ourselves in all form from such products and product modifications, because they contradict the values of the Lego Group.
‘The LEGO Group would never produce or authorize these products, nor can we endorse them. ‘