OH, THAT GERMAN SENSE OF HUMOR

Berlusconi's Nazi 'Joke' Sparks Uproar (PAUL AMES, 7/02/03, Associated Press)

Italy's flamboyant prime minister launched his country's leadership of the European Union on Wednesday by telling a German lawmaker he should play the part of "kapo" in a film about a Nazi concentration camp.

Silvio Berlusconi's remark, which he later dismissed as a harmless joke, raised new questions among critics about his fitness to represent Europe on the world stage. Italy's richest man has been dogged by legal problems and accused of having conflicts of interest because of his vast media holdings.

Berlusconi appeared before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, to outline his plans during the six months Italy serves as the European Union's presidency.

Italy assumed the post Tuesday, one day after an Italian court suspended Berlusconi's bribery trial following the Italian Parliament's passage of a law granting him and other senior leaders legal immunity.

During a question-and-answer session following Berlusconi's speech, Martin Schulz, parliamentary leader of the German Social Democrats, alluded to the Italian leader's legal problems.

Berlusconi, speaking Italian, snapped: "Mr. Schulz, I know there is a producer in Italy who is making a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of `kapo.' You'd be perfect."

Mr. Berlusconi has to learn that Social Democrats can compare George Bush to Hitler but can not themselves be compared to other German Socialists. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 2, 2003 9:25 PM