LONDON – A British auction house said Wednesday it had withdrawn a signed photo of Adolf Hitler (search) from auction after a complaint that the timing of the sale — less than a week after Holocaust Remembrance Day — was insensitive.
Auctioneer Mullock Madeley (search), based in Shropshire county in central England, said the autographed, postcard-sized portrait was dropped from a sale of historical books and documents after a member of a local Jewish group complained.
"The gentleman felt it was insensitive at this time, with the memorial of Auschwitz (search) last week, to be selling a signed photograph of Hitler," said spokesman Richard Westwood-Brookes.
"We are not in the business of glorifying the Nazis or offending people. We listened to the gentleman's arguments and felt that in this one incident it might be a little insensitive to sell it at public auction."
Westwood-Brookes said the portrait would still be offered for sale privately.
Nations around the world held ceremonies last Thursday marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.
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