Polish toy maker withdraws ‘educational’ Nazi models after criticism from US

Owner Robert Podles said that Cobi, through its models, were 'attempting to cast a spotlight on historical conflicts'

A leading Polish toy manufacturer has pulled a series of products featuring top Nazis in limousines from sale after they were condemned in the US as “offensive”.

Cobi, famed in Poland for producing Lego-style toys ranging from the Titanic to modern combat aircraft, made the move after a number of building-block products began to attract unwanted attention in the US from fellow toy makers and retailers.

One product that garnered attention was a model of a 1939 Mercedes staff car, which came complete with a figurine of Freidrich Paulus, a WWII German general who commanded troops during the invasion of Poland. Another controversial product was the staff car of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, the head of German military intelligence.

One product that garnered attention was a model of a 1939 Mercedes staff car

Ariel Moghaddam, the vice president of Mighty Mojo Toys, accused Cobi of “producing and exposing antisemitic propaganda”, in a statement quoted by Toybook, a website covering the toy industry.

Michael Rinzler, who serves on the board of directors of the Toy Association, a US organisation representing the toy industry said: “This is a very serious topic and deserves our attention in holding companies accountable for their products and how they may be perceived.”

Reacting to the scandal, Robert Podles, Cobi’s owner, issued a heartfelt apology, pointing out that one of his grandfathers had fought the Nazis while the other had survived the Treblinka death camp.

Robert Podles, Cobi’s owner, issued a heartfelt apology

He said that Cobi, through its models, were “attempting to cast a spotlight on historical conflicts that shaped the world, why they came to be and why knowing about the past can lead to a more equitable, positive, and inclusive future.”

But he conceded with the Nazi models this had failed, and that the products would now be withdrawn from sale.

“The experiences of my family and my country during World War II shaped my desire to never allow history to repeat itself,” he said.

“At Cobi we will continue to educate ourselves. However, one thing I will not change is my lifelong mission to make sure we never allow the fascists, authoritarians, and extremist groups to exert their hate in this world ever again.”