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KFC Germany Apologizes After Sending Notification Invoking Historic Anti-Semitic Riots

(Photo by Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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KFC’s German branch apologized after it reportedly encouraged customers to eat chicken by invoking the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the deadly Nazi pogrom against Jews.

KFC Germany sent a push notification to customers who use the app with the message “Anniversary of the Reich’s pogrom night,” screenshots circulating on Twitter showed. Customers were then advertised “tender cheese with crispy chicken,” according to The New York Times (NYT).

KFC Germany issued an apology saying it is “obviously wrong, insensitive and unacceptable,” and said the push notification was issued accidentally, according to the NYT.  The company reportedly said it has a “semi-automated content creation process linked to calendars that include national observances.” (RELATED: ‘I Want To Show Them’: Holocaust Survivor Explains Why She Never Removed The Tattoo The Nazis Gave Her)

“In this instance, our internal review process was not properly followed, resulting in a non approved notification being shared,” the statement reportedly said.

Kristallnacht, known as “the night of broken glass,” occurred on Nov. 9, 1938 and is considered to be the beginning of the Holocaust. Anti-Jewish riots broke out and lasted approximately two days.

Ninety-one Jews were killed, 30,000 were sent to concentration camps and more than 7,500 Jewish businesses, homes and schools were destroyed.