The military-themed confections have been denounced as a symbol of the country’s ‘unhealthy’ political climate
A German bakery has dusted off Nazi-era molds to produce Easter sugar bunnies crafted in military-themed shapes. Critics argue that this incident underscores the country’s troubling departure from its pacifist ideals.
The once popular ‘Zuckerhasen’ (sugar bunnies) are a traditional confection in Germany dating back to the 18th century.
For this Easter season, Cafe Lieb in Tubingen, Baden-Wurttemberg decided to showcase long-forgotten versions during a two-day sale, according to media reports this week. The molds feature bunnies operating military hardware such as tanks and cannons – shapes deemed inappropriate since World War II.
Owner Hermann Leimgruber dismissed concerns over the controversial nature of selling military-themed Easter symbols, telling SWR, “My God, it’s part of our history. Back then, children received a bunny in a tank for Easter.” Master confectioner Ulrich Buob noted that older generations recall receiving these treats as children and now purchase them as souvenirs.
Critics find the candies troubling, arguing that they trivialize militarism and the tragic legacy of Nazism. A column published by Berliner Zeitung on Wednesday condemned what it called “Panzerhasen” (armored bunnies) as indicative of the current political climate in Germany and the broader EU.
”Now, there is even open discussion about the reintroduction of conscription, which for decades was considered a relic of the Cold War” in Germany, it stated. It added that dissenters are branded as “lumpen pacifists” or sympathizers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying this is “precisely the problem.”
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