Russian lawmaker proposes labeling ‘Nazi-related’ products

Duma deputy Alexei Zhuravlev has proposed to put special labels on products made by companies with a history of ties with Nazi Germany. The bill, which amends the law on advertising, has been submitted to parliament for consideration.

Zhuravlev told the newspaper Izvestia that the amendments are designed to prevent “distortion” of facts and to properly inform people about 20th century history. Zhuravlev said that young people should know which “companies actively worked for the Third Reich, produced poisonous substances used to attack our people, made weapons and planes.”

Zhuravlev says it is symbolic that his bill is submitted to parliament on June 22, the day the Soviet Union entered World War II.

“I am sure that among our citizens there are many people who would stop buying such products. If BMW made planes which bombed our cities, our citizens must know about this, and no one should be shy about it,” added Zhuravlev.

Alexei Zhuravlev said the law may affect Lufthansa, BMW and Siemens, Coca-Cola and other companies.

According to the financial declarations filed by all Russian government employees, Zhuravlev owns a Mercedes and his wife drives a BMW. According to Zhuravlev’s press secretary, he has “foregone” his Mercedes and opted in favor of the Czech car Skoda. The company Skoda, however, became a part of the corporation Reichswerke Hermann Göring after Nazi Germany’s invasion of Czechoslovakia, which means Skoda belonged to leading Nazi Party member Hermann Göring.

For more on Russia’s crusade against Nazism, read Gone mad with political correctness—How Russia’s anti-fascist censorship has jumped the shark