The community of Hanover, Pennsylvania, is expressing outrage after a Halloween parade float depicted the Holocaust. The float, entered by St. Joseph Catholic School, featured a replica of a gate with the phrase "Arbeit Macht Frei," famously used at Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps. This imagery has sparked significant backlash from the community and beyond.
The Bishop of Harrisburg, Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior, condemned the float, calling it "profoundly offensive and unacceptable." He clarified that the original design approved for the parade did not include such imagery. In response, Bishop Senior issued an apology to the Jewish community and emphasized that Catholics stand firmly against antisemitism.
The incident has raised concerns about the oversight and approval processes for parade floats, as well as the need for increased sensitivity and awareness regarding historical atrocities. The community continues to grapple with the implications of the float's display and the hurt it has caused.