Nazi-branded Beer Sells Out at German Drinks Store
Thuringia police have already established the brand itself is legal
Images were circulating on German social media on Friday showing a Nazi-branded beer for sale in a drinks store in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The images showed bottles labelled with the name "Deutsches Reichsbraeu," or German Reich Brew, in a font favored by the Nazis on sale for 18.88 euros.
The numbers 1 and 8 correspond to the second and eighth letters of the alphabet – the initials of Adolf Hitler. The 88 stands for "Heil Hitler." The new beer brand was announced online at the beginning of the year by a well-known right-wing extremist from the neighbouring state of Thuringia.
The store had been operating under wholesaler WVG's "Getraenke Quelle" brand. However, WVG said on Friday it had just heard about the beer and immediately ended its relationship with the shop owner.
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"We disassociate ourselves from this matter," said Thomas Scharf, managing director of WVG.
Tommy Frenck, a known right-wing extremist, said he came up with the idea of launching the beer after the police imposed tight alcohol restrictions on a neo-Nazi festival in the nearby Vessra monastery.
While the police in Saxony-Anhalt are still investigating whether the sales in Bad Bibra are legal, investigations in Thuringia have already established that the brand itself is legal, according to a police spokeswoman.