Ecclestone says Hitler storm a 'misunderstanding'

Bernie Ecclestone ja Max Mosley

July 6, 2009 3:18 PM
Filed Under: F1

Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed as a "big misunderstanding" the international furore created by his recent interview with London's Times newspaper.

Not only was the F1 chief executive's apparent defence of Adolf Hitler condemned by Jewish groups, it is believed sections of the formula one world argue it is evidence the 78-year-old should retire.

"All this is a big misunderstanding," Ecclestone told Germany's Bild newspaper.

"In the interview we were talking about structures and that it can sometimes be good to act and make strong decisions without reservation," he explained.

"I wasn't using Hitler as a positive example, but pointing out that before his dreadful crimes he worked successfully against unemployment and economic problems," said Ecclestone.

The wide-circulation German newspaper asked the Briton if he felt the need to apologise.

"It was never my intention to hurt the feelings of any community," Bernie replied. "Many people in my closest circle of friends are Jewish.

"Anyone who knows me knows that I would never attack a minority," he added.

Source: GMM

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Tags: Bernie Ecclestone

Shamed Ecclestone goes on 'sorry' offensive (14 comments

Comments

scratchy996

July 6, 2009 3:53 PM

as much as i can't stand him, he is right again.you are not allowed to say anything Hitler has done well without being jumped on.

Bernie , just quit F1 and write some Nazi books if you're such a fan, "Mein Kampf...against FOTA".

Edited by user on July 6, 2009 at 3:55 PM

Narco

July 6, 2009 5:59 PM

Well why don't you enlighten us on what he did well, aside from scapegoating and killing 6 million people?

Fishes,

Narco.

scratchy996

July 6, 2009 6:40 PM

he was good at being a dictator. that's a thing he did well.

why do people try to censor history ? you can talk about Napoleon, Stalin, W. Bush and other mass murderers but when someone says something about Hitler he/she get censored.

i talked with a Jewish history professor several times, he said Hitler was good at manipulating the masses, he brought massive economic growth to Germany, huge progresses were made in science and medicine during his dictatorship. you can't deny those things just because he was a deranged psychopath.

are the Talibans good people ? no. are they doing some things well ? if they didn't, they wouldn't be so dangerous.

Edited by user on July 6, 2009 at 6:56 PM

Airbag

July 6, 2009 7:57 PM

But growth won by putting a country on a war footing isn't sustainable, and pitching the masses against a minority as a scapegoat is hardly admirable. If you go a little in depth, there really aren't any pluses for Hitler. The advances made in Germany during his tenure were in spite of his governance, I'd argue.

Although, I didn't think his paintings were all that bad, to be honest.

scratchy996

July 6, 2009 8:39 PM

i didn't say it was all good , but he had some achievements even if they were evil in nature.

super_car_muscle_man

July 6, 2009 5:07 PM

i dont get why there is a big furore over what he said. as much as i hate bernie, its quite clear in the article that he did not agree with hitler and believed that he was wrong with what he did but simply said that sometimes, in organisations, etc, its good to control things with an iron fist to get it done. what on earth is wrong with that statement? thats simply what he believes. maybe hitler was not the best example to use but still! the world needs to stop being so dam sensitive as to misconstrue what he said into thinking he actually supports hitler. he made it clear that he does not. so whats the problem? rediculous.

brocky

July 6, 2009 5:40 PM

Do you know what ignorance means?

catchmyshadow

July 6, 2009 5:35 PM

ecclestone is a dumbass. he obviously knows nothing about Hitler or Krupp and other companies who abused foreign workers 70 years ago. he should go to school again or just shut up. small man - big mouth

Narco

July 6, 2009 6:00 PM

This is the first time I've ever seen a picture of this guy. His hair looks like he had an encounter with a ghost in a wind tunnel.

Fishes,

Narco.

Edited by user on July 6, 2009 at 6:00 PM

alessandro

July 6, 2009 7:14 PM

Exactly Bernie, it is misunderstanding. You'll do better with no thinking loud.

sideskraper

July 6, 2009 9:02 PM

as much as i can understand what the intentions of his words were, i have to say what an idiot. he's been a public figure for so long that he should be smart enough to realise that raising mentioning Hitler (or even Nazi for that matter) in anything but a negative light will come back and hurt him. stupid bernie stupid. just keep that mouth shut from now on.

shaahinmt

July 7, 2009 1:48 AM

i dont think it really matters that he says 'i didn't intend to'.

WildMaverick1200

July 7, 2009 4:50 AM

Meh. The damage is done. Even more people hate him now. You can't just say "hey, forgive me for saying that a guy that killed your grandparents was admirable".

Schizo0223

July 7, 2009 6:17 AM

He has passed his expiration. We need a regime change in F1. Forget about North Korea...they have no assets to control after the invasion...F1 is a cash cow.

I understand his point as being in a position to make decisions in an organization...but seriously did he not realize that the press and the people will pick up little tid bits of his comments and will try to bury him alive? Or is he so foolish to think that he is so powerful and untouchable that he can say whatever he wants and get away with it? Too much power seems to have corrupted his reasoning abilities...he needs to go.

super_car_muscle_man

July 7, 2009 4:56 PM

@"brocky": yes, i know what ignorance means. but, please, do explain to me what part of my statement appears to be showing ignorance? do you understand the sentence "read, understand, then make a comment based on what is actually written"? fyi hitler is an evil phychopath and deserved to be kept alive ONLY so he can be tortured for as long as possible for the crimes he has commited. or maybe you dont understand that either?

Edited by user on July 7, 2009 at 4:57 PM

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