HUDSON, MASS. (WHDH) - A Hudson restaurant is apologizing to its customers after several World War II reenactors ate a meal inside while dressed as German soldiers.
Wearing military uniforms, 350 reenactors created a battle at the American Heritage Museum on Saturday. Afterwards, eight of the reenactors went to dinner at the Kith and Kin restaurant, still in costume.
The restaurant owners said some were dressed as German soldiers during World War II.
Gary Lewi, a trustee at the American Heritage Museum, said there are protocols on where and how to present the outfits. He said they should be taken off or covered after performances.
“The idea of them wearing it to a public space, be it a restaurant or a park or anywhere else, is inexcusable,” Lewi said.
“When you take World War II German uniforms out of the context of where they’re supposed to be presented to help tell a story, and you put them into a public environment like a restaurant, yeah, eyebrows will be raised and justifiably so,” Lewi said.
Acknowledging that the costumes may have offended other diners, the restaurant owners issued a statement.
“On a busy Saturday night, the SS letters on a few of their collars were missed by our staff,” the statement said in part. “We deeply apologize for not recognizing the exact nature of the uniforms upon their arrival, and in effect, making others uncomfortable.”
Lewi said costumes with swastikas or SS collars are forbidden on the museum’s grounds, and explains the facility is where history is taught. The museum features a Holocaust exhibit and memorial.
“This was certainly not a hate crime, but this was a ridiculous error in judgement,” Lewi said.
Moving forward, all reenactors will receive paperwork with the costume protocols, which they will have to sign to show they understand the rules, museum officials said.
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