WWE Apologizes For Showing Auschwitz Footage During WrestleMania Promo
WWE apologized on Friday for showing a photograph of the Auschwitz concentration camp where more than 1 million Jews were murdered … during a WrestleMania promo Saturday night.
The company faced backlash from fans, media, and even the Auschwitz Memorial once it became clear they used the image to promote the Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio match.
But now, the WWE is apologizing, saying they had no idea the image was used.
“We had no knowledge of what was depicted. As soon as we learned, it was removed immediately,” the company told The Washington Post.
It remains to be seen if the explanation will be enough … the Auschwitz Memorial ripped into WWE before the apology, saying, “The fact that Auschwitz image was used to promote a WWE match is hard to call ‘an editing mistake.'”
“Exploiting the site that became a symbol of enormous human tragedy is shameless and insults the memory of all victims of Auschwitz.”
So WWE used footage of Auschwitz in the Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio video package that aired on its pre-show. Relevant shot is at about the 15-second mark. What an unforced error that is. pic.twitter.com/DbZY9BOOx5
— Kenny (@fusionaddict) April 2, 2023
@fusionaddict
According to Auschwitz Memorial’s website, the Germans established Auschwitz in 1940 in German-occupied Poland during World War II, and it was the largest of the Nazi concentration camps.
WWE, once they became aware of what happened, replaced the image of Auschwitz with generic footage of barbed wire on later airings and reruns of WrestleMania.