Auschwitz Slams Online Store For Selling Miniskirts And Tote Bags With Images Of Nazi Death Camp

The Auschwitz memorial and museum in Poland has slammed an online marketplace for selling apparel featuring images of the death camp, saying offering the items is "disturbing and disrespectful." 

"Do you really think that selling such products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags with the images of Auschwitz - a place of enormous human tragedy where over 1,1 million people were murdered - is acceptable?" Auschwitz Memorial tweeted at the Australian-based company, Redbubble, Tuesday, sharing screenshots of the items on the company's site. "This is rather disturbing and disrespectful."

Redbubble sells apparel, housewares and other items featuring designs by independent artists. The three items featuring black and white photographs of Auschwitz appear to have been added by different Redbubble users, the screenshots posted by Auschwitz Memorial show. The items ranged in price from about 13 to 40 euros.

Redbubble Help responded to the Auschwitz Memorial tweet on Tuesday, writing: "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The nature of this content is not acceptable and is not in line with our Community Guidelines." 

"We are taking immediate action to remove these and similar works available on these product types," it added. 

It also said Redbubble "is the host of an online marketplace where independent users take responsibility for the images they upload." 

In its Community and Content Guidelines, Redbubble describes itself as a "respectful, supportive, and encouraging community who is deeply passionate about art and creativity."  

"We welcome artists of all experience levels and walks of life," the guidelines say. "Redbubble asks that you do not seek or engage with content you don't agree with (no need for troublemaking)." Redbubble also urges community policing, asking its users to flag inappropriate content they come across on the site.

Shortly after posting its first tweet to Redbubble on Tuesday, Auschwitz Memorial tweeted to the company again, this time sharing an image of a t-shirt with "Dr. Holocaust" on it. 

"We have been wondering @redbubble if 'the nature of this content' is also 'not acceptable' for you and is 'not in line with your Community Guidelines'? We wish to bring this to your attention," Auschwitz Memorial tweeted.

Redbubble Help again thanked Auschwitz Memorial for flagging the content and stated the item was removed. "We are currently still in the process of reviewing works of this nature but are working towards removal of all unacceptable works as soon as possible," it said.

The company also responded to dozens of other Twitter users who tweeted images of the Auschwitz apparel, urging the company to remove the items. Redbubble sent the same response to each concerned user: "We appreciate that this has been brought to our attention. The nature of this content is not acceptable nor is it in line with our Community Guidelines...We are taking immediate action to remove these and similar works available on these products."

Redbubble did not immediately respond to CBS News' request for comment. 

First published on May 8, 2019 / 10:49 AM

© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.