Maurizio Cattelan's Statue Of Praying Hitler In Ex-Warsaw Ghetto Sparks Emotion
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[A statue of Adolf Hitler praying on his knees is on display in the former Warsaw Ghetto, the place where so many Jews were killed or sent to their deaths by Hitler's regime, and it is provoking mixed reactions.
The work, [HIM] by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, has drawn many visitors since it was installed last month. It is visible only from a distance, and the artist doesn't make explicit what Hitler is praying for, but the broader point, organizers say, is to make people reflect on the nature of evil.
In any case, some are angered by the statue's presence in such a sensitive site.
One Jewish advocacy group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this week called the statue's placement [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims].
[As far as the Jews were concerned, Hitler's only [prayer] was that they be wiped off the face of the earth], the group's Israel director, Efraim Zuroff, said in a statement.
However, many others are praising the artwork, saying it has a strong emotional impact. And organizers defend putting it on display in the former ghetto]. – Vanessa Gera via Associated Press
Photos: People look through at a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler. praying on his knees, unseen, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, «HIM» has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims]. Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil. (Photo by Czarek Sokolowski/AP via La Presse)
The work, [HIM] by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, has drawn many visitors since it was installed last month. It is visible only from a distance, and the artist doesn't make explicit what Hitler is praying for, but the broader point, organizers say, is to make people reflect on the nature of evil.
In any case, some are angered by the statue's presence in such a sensitive site.
One Jewish advocacy group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this week called the statue's placement [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims].
[As far as the Jews were concerned, Hitler's only [prayer] was that they be wiped off the face of the earth], the group's Israel director, Efraim Zuroff, said in a statement.
However, many others are praising the artwork, saying it has a strong emotional impact. And organizers defend putting it on display in the former ghetto]. – Vanessa Gera via Associated Press
Photos: People look through at a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler. praying on his knees, unseen, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, «HIM» has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims]. Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil. (Photo by Czarek Sokolowski/AP via La Presse)
![People look at a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler praying on his knees. unseen, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.] Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil.](http://img.gagdaily.com/uploads/posts/fact/2013/0000adb4_big.jpg "People look at a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler praying on his knees. unseen, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.] Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil.")
![A statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan shows Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this week condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.]](http://img.gagdaily.com/uploads/posts/fact/2013/0000adb2_big.jpg "A statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan shows Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this week condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.]")
![People view a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.] Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil.](http://img.gagdaily.com/uploads/posts/fact/2013/0000adb3_big.jpg "People view a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.] Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil.")
![People look through at a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler. praying on his knees, unseen, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.] Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil.](http://img.gagdaily.com/uploads/posts/fact/2013/0000adb5_big.jpg "People look through at a statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan showing Adolf Hitler. praying on his knees, unseen, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.] Others are praising it, saying it has a strong emotional force that has them reflecting on the nature of human evil.")
![A statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan of Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this week condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.]](http://img.gagdaily.com/uploads/posts/fact/2013/0000adb6_big.jpg "A statue by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan of Adolf Hitler praying on his knees in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday Dec. 28, 2012. The work, [HIM] has been drawing visitors since it was installed last month and even some anger. One Jewish group, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this week condemned the work's placement in the former ghetto as [a senseless provocation which insults the memory of the Nazis' Jewish victims.]")
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