Is Hitler funny? Leader of far-right German party steps down over inappropriate selfie

Backlash over anti-Islamic group hurting perception of Germany abroad

In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks earlier this month, as well as the numerous acts of terror perpetrated by Muslims throughout Europe over the last several years, Germany is seeing a resurgence of far-right radical groups whose attitudes and marches would be more familiar to a world in the 1930s than 2015.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Anti-Islamic rallies have been taking place in Germany and attracting thousands of followers. A rally on January 5 had 18,000 people, while one held on January 12 attracted a crowd of 25,000.

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While most in Germany have warned that racial or ethnic hatred of any kind will not be tolerated, it has not stopped a few of these groups from taking actions that have terrible connotations to the past.

The leader of one of these groups has been forced to resign after a German tabloid published a photo taken of him posing as Adolf Hitler.

Lutz Bachmann, the leader of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West) has stepped down from his position as chairman following the backlash generated by the picture's release.

The tabloid also showed another image that Bachmann has posted on social media, showing a man in a Ku Klux Klan robe and bearing the caption: "Three K's a day keeps the minorities away."

Immediately following the outrage Bachmann jumped to defend his actions.

His spokeswoman announced on Facebook that the posed photo was satire, which every citizen has a right to do.

"I apologize to everybody who has felt attacked by my online postings," Bachmann said. "They were comments made without serious reflection, which I would no longer express today. I am sorry that I thereby damaged the interests of our movement, and draw the appropriate conclusion."

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Bachmann told the German tabloid BILD that: "I took the photo at the hairdressers, for the publication of the audiobook of the satire 'He's Back.' ... You need to be able to joke about things now and then."

Bachmann referred to the satire book "Er ist wieder da" or "He's back" in English. The book is based on Hitler waking up in modern-day Berlin with no knowledge of any events after 1945. Released in 2012, the book is a best seller.

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