Karl Lagerfeld evokes Holocaust to bash Germany’s Angela Merkel on refugees

November 14, 2017

France’s media regulator announced on Monday that several hundred people launched complaints against German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld after he appeared on a French talk show over the weekend.

Lagerfeld, who sits as head creative director for Chanel and Fendi, sparked outrage on Saturday when he evoked the Holocaust to criticize German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her open door policy towards refugees fleeing conflict.

Read more: Peeking into designer Yves Saint Laurent’s world

“One cannot — even if there are decades between them — kill millions of Jews so you can bring millions of their worst enemies in their place,” Lagerfeld told a French television show on Saturday.

“I know someone in Germany who took a young Syrian and after four days said, ‘The greatest thing Germany invented was the Holocaust.'”

5 individuals who were once Karl Lagerfeld’s muses

Choupette

She’s perhaps Lagerfeld’s only true muse, as she accompanies him day and night. His love for her is so strong that he even confessed he would marry her if he could. It was obvious that Choupette wouldn’t remain behind closed doors for long. Ad deals with a Japanese cosmetic label and carmaker Opel earned her millions. And Choupette boasts tens of thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram.

5 individuals who were once Karl Lagerfeld’s muses

Vanessa Paradis

The model known for the gap between her teeth became the face of Chanel in the early 1990s. Karl Lagerfeld famously decorated her with black feathers and put her in a gold cage for an ad for the Chanel perfume “Coco.” Paradis worked regularly with Lagerfeld at the Chanel label, appearing both in advertisements and on the runway.

5 individuals who were once Karl Lagerfeld’s muses

Claudia Schiffer

At the age of 18, Claudia Schiffer moved from the countryside to Paris and stole the show. Karl Lagerfeld was also fascinated by the beauty of the young blond. Though she didn’t have much experience, she became a model for one of the world’s most famous labels in 1988 and walked down runways all over the world. Despite rumors of a fight between Lagerfeld and Schiffer, the two remain close today.

5 individuals who were once Karl Lagerfeld’s muses

Keira Knightley

Lagerfeld was so enchanted by British actress Keira Knightley that he gave her the lead role in his short film “Once Upon a Time,” in which she plays label founder Coco Chanel herself. Knightley also lent her face to Chanel perfume ads. The bond between the actress and the designer seems to be mutual, as Knightley has said she particularly admires his linguistic talents.

5 individuals who were once Karl Lagerfeld’s muses

Baptiste Giabiconi

Male models are boring, Karl Lagerfeld once said. That is, until he met French model Baptiste Giabiconi in 2009. He was perfect like a Greek statue, the designer praised the then-19-year-old, who had been working in a factory in Marseille. Overnight, the young man became one of the best paid models in the world, thanks to the fashion lord.

Author: Antje Binder (kbm)

Merkel in crosshairs

At the peak of Europe’s migration crisis in 2015, Merkel pledged to offer refuge to Syrians fleeing a devastating civil war, a move that has since divided domestic and regional politics. That year, Germany received nearly 900,000 migrants.

“Merkel had already millions and millions (of immigrants) who are well integrated and who work and all is well … she had no need to take another million to improve her image as the wicked stepmother after the Greek crisis,” Lagerfeld said.

Read more: How refugees are settling into Germany, two years on

“Suddenly we see the pastor’s daughter,” Lagerfeld added, referring to Merkel’s father, who was a Protestant pastor in former East Germany (GDR).

While Lagerfeld has been widely criticized on social media networks for his controversial remarks, France’s media regulator said it will continue to review the program and the fashion designer’s remarks to determine if they merit further response from French authorities.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Fleeing war and poverty

In late 2014, with the war in Syria approaching its fourth year and Islamic State making gains in the north of the country, the exodus of Syrians intensified. At the same time, others were fleeing violence and poverty in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Niger and Kosovo.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Seeking refuge over the border

Vast numbers of Syrian refugees had been gathering in border-town camps in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan since 2011. By 2015, with the camps full to bursting and residents often unable to find work or educate their children, more and more people decided to seek asylum further afield.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

A long journey on foot

In 2015 an estimated 1.5 million people made their way on foot from Greece towards western Europe via the “Balkan route”. The Schengen Agreement, which allows passport-free travel within much of the EU, was called into question as refugees headed towards the wealthier European nations.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Desperate sea crossings

Tens of thousands of refugees were also attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. In April 2015, 800 people of various nationalities drowned when a boat traveling from Libya capsized off the Italian coast. This was to be just one of many similar tragedies – by the end of the year, nearly 4,000 refugees were reported to have died attempting the crossing.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Pressure on the borders

Countries along the EU’s external border struggled to cope with the sheer number of arrivals. Fences were erected in Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Austria. Asylum laws were tightened and several Schengen area countries introduced temporary border controls.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Closing the open door

Critics of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “open-door” refugee policy claimed it had made the situation worse by encouraging more people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe. By September 2016, Germany had also introduced temporary checks on its border with Austria.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

Striking a deal with Turkey

In early 2016, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement under which refugees arriving in Greece could be sent back to Turkey. The deal has been criticised by human rights groups and came under new strain following a vote by the European Parliament in November to freeze talks on Turkey’s potential accession to the EU.

How did Europe’s refugee crisis start?

No end in sight

With anti-immigration sentiment in Europe growing, governments are still struggling to reach a consensus on how to handle the continuing refugee crisis. Attempts to introduce quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states have largely failed. Conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere show no signs coming to an end, and the death toll from refugee sea crossings is on the rise.

Author: Rachel Stewart