Belgian TV scraps show on Hitler's favorite meal
Flemish broadcaster VRT says episode on Hitler's culinary tastes was 'too sensitive' to air; Jewish affairs weekly welcomes move
Amid widespread criticism, a Belgian public broadcaster on Monday scrapped a television show on Adolf Hitler's favorite meal.
Belgium's Flemish broadcaster VRT said the episode on Hitler's culinary tastes was "too sensitive" to air and did not fit the series "Plat Prefere," or "Favorite Dish," which profiles the favorite foods of famous people.
Other episodes have featured more positively viewed subjects, including British singer Freddie Mercury, opera legend Maria Callas and artist Salvador Dali.
"There was a wrong perception that the show about Hitler would humanize or, worse, glorify" Hitler, VRT said on its Web site.
A preview of the Hitler episode showed professional cook Jeroen Meus going to Hitler's haunts in southern Germany to prepare trout with butter sauce, which is believed to have been one of Hitler's favorite meals.
The VRT network earlier said the show on Hitler, which was scheduled to air Tuesday, meant to put him "in the right context," adding that the chef also addressed Hitler's anti-Semitic policies.
Michael Freilich, the editor of Joods Actueel magazine, a Jewish affairs weekly based in Antwerp, welcomed the move Monday but said the VRT had to question why it chose Hitler in the first place.
"The problem is that Hitler is being featured in a cooking show, without any historical context," he said.
