Music

Rammstein branded ‘tasteless’ by Jewish leaders for concentration camp imagery in new video


Rammstein have been criticised for their new teaser trailer (Picture: Bernd Muller/Redferns)

Rammstein have been criticised by a number of prominent Jewish leaders, for appearing ti include Holocaust imagery in their new video.

The German band are no strangers to controversy, but the teaser trailer for their upcoming single Deutschland has been branded ‘tasteless’ by Germany’s commissioner for anti-semitism.

The short clip for the song, published on Rammstein’s social media, YouTube and Spotify channels, sees the band standing on the gallows, wearing striped concetration camp uniforms with nooses around their necks.

Frontman Till Lindemann is bleeding above his eye, while a star is worn on guitarist Paul Landers’ chest.

While the Holocaust isn’t directly mentioned in the teaser clip, it has sparked outrage, with Holocaust survivor and former president of Germany’s Central Council of Jews Charlotte Knobloch saying ‘the band has crossed a line’.

Speaking to Bild (translated by Reuters), Knobloch said: ‘The instrumentalisation and trivialisation of the Holocaust, as shown in the images, is irresponsible.’

Felix Klein, Germany’s commissioner for anti-semitism, added: ‘I think it is a tasteless exploitation of artistic freedom.’

And Karin Prien of the Jewish Forum said the video was an example of ‘disgusting tastelessness’, serving only to ‘generate clicks’.

Rammstein, who formed in 1994 and are best known for their track Du Hast, which featured on The Matrix soundtrack, have caused controversy with their music and videos in the past.

Their cover of Depeche Mode’s Stripped sparked outrage when they decided to use images from the Leni Riefenstahl Nazi propaganda film Olympia in its video.

In 2006, Till Lindemann signalled they would not cause such controversy again, telling Playboy: ‘I’m tired of hearing we’re a right-wing band. That was a point I said to myself: we crossed a line.’

However, in 2009, their album Liebe ist Fuer Alle Da (Love is For All) was censored and rereleased with an edited version due to the album booklet featuring images of guitarist Richard Kruspe spanking a nude woman, and the track Ich tu dir weh (I Hurt You) featuring lyrics about sadomasochism.

Deutschland will be featured on Rammstein’s as yet untitled seventh album, slated for release next month.

Metro.co.uk has contacted a rep for Rammstein for comment.



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