Nov. 10 (UPI) — KFC has apologized after it sent promotions to customers in Germany for its new cheesy chicken, urging them to celebrate Kristallnacht this week.
Kristallnacht or The Night of Broken Glass is widely seen as the start of the Holocaust, and shift from anti-Semitic rhetoric to violent, aggressive anti-Jewish measures.
The name is in reference to the thousands of shattered windows that littered the streets after the two-day period that saw 267 synagogues and thousands of other Jewish-owned businesses destroyed, as well as the deaths of 90 Jewish people.
The fast food restaurant sent an app notification Wednesday urging customers to celebrate the day with its new menu offering.
“It’s memorial day for Kristallnacht! Treat yourself with more tender cheese on your crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!,” the message said, according to NBC.
Germany takes the Nov. 9 anniversary seriously, with memorial events and discussions scheduled to reflect the Nazis’ murder of more than 6 million Jewish people.
Parent company Yum Brands pushed an apology message in German shortly after. The company blamed a system error for the message.
German language newspaper Bild published an image of the apology. The outlet also was the first to report the initial promotional message.
The fast food chain blamed a bot for the mistake, saying an “automated push notification” was “linked to calendars that include national observances.
“We understand and respect the gravity and history of this day, and remain committed to equity, inclusion and belonging for all,” KFC said in a statement to the Jerusalem Post.
The news did not affect the company’s stock. Common shares of Yum Brands were up $2.08, or 1.7%, to $124.13 on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday.
