Hitler website in safe hands
When contacted by the Anti-Defamation Commission about a website named after Hitler, domain name company Netfleet replied, 'You are quite welcome to bid on the domain yourself'.
A MELBOURNE Jewish businessman has been honoured with the Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC)’s Making a Difference Award for purchasing a website domain named after Adolf Hitler when it was listed for auction last month.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, bought the domain name adolfhitler.com.au to ensure “this disgusting domain does not end up in the hands of antisemites and neo-Nazis”.
The website was being auctioned by Australian domain name platforms Netfleet and Drop, and when contacted by the ADC, a representative of Netfleet replied, “You are quite welcome to bid on the domain yourself, then you can own the domain.”
The individual who purchased the domain name donated it to the ADC, and those who visit the website are redirected to the ADC’s home page.
Noting the auction occurred in the same month as the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, ADC chairman Dvir Abramovich blasted the sale as “beyond offensive” and “beyond insensitive”.
“I’m sure the antisemites and white supremacists are thrilled that Australian companies are willingly helping them in keeping alive the legacy of a brutal tyrant responsible for the extermination of six million Jews and millions of others,” Abramovich said.
“One can only imagine what kind of ugly Holocaust denial and hateful material would be posted on this site if it had fallen into the wrong hands.”
He continued, “How can anyone be so callous and so indifferent to the barbaric crimes of Hitler, and show zero respect to the feelings of Holocaust survivors so as to put profits over morality?
“This auction was a terrible affront to the memory of Hitler’s victims, to those who lost families at the hands of the Nazis and collaborators, and the brave Australian soldiers who died to defeat the Third Reich.”
Abramovich called on the two companies to “reflect on their values and … to ensure such abhorrent domain names are not offered again”.
Meanwhile, Abramovich has repeated his call for states and territories to ban the public display of all Nazi insignia after a giant neon swastika was seen hanging from a fence in an inner-urban Darwin suburb.
The swastika outraged several residents and drew condemnation from the Northern Territory’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.
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