A restaurant on the German island of Rügen has stirred controversy by using racist language in its advertising. The owner of “Oma’s Küche und Quartier” in Binz has defended her actions, despite facing criticism and police intervention.
Offensive menu board and public reaction
The restaurant placed a sign outside its premises that read: “Grandma’s Gypsy schnitzel with fried potatoes… followed by a Negro kiss”. The message was accompanied by a smiley face, presumably intended to be ironic. However, this attempt at humor has not been well-received by all passersby.
An outraged tourist wrote to the local “Ostsee-Zeitung” saying, “It is easy to see that this sign, publicly displayed for advertising purposes, expresses a certain attitude. An attitude that defies current discussions about racism-free, dignified language.” Many citizens expressed their anger, and the poster was sharply condemned on social media. However, there were also some supportive comments.
Restaurant owner’s stance and expert opinions
The restaurant owner, Sigrun Gonischur, doesn’t understand the uproar. She told the “Ostsee-Zeitung” (OZ), “‘Gypsy schnitzel’ and ‘Negro kiss’ are legitimate words.” She sees no reason to remove the sign.
However, the Federal Government’s Anti-Discrimination Agency considers the use of the term “Gypsy schnitzel” to be clearly discriminatory, describing it as a “derogatory external designation that excludes Sinti and Roma.”
The term “Negro kiss” has long been understood as degrading to black people, with even the Duden dictionary classifying it as “discriminatory”. Silke Dorn from the Youth Migration Service of the Workers’ Welfare Association (Awo) in Bergen on Rügen told the OZ, “It is both discriminatory and racist to use the word ‘Negro kiss’. The N-word devalues people with dark skin. These words express group-focused enmity.”
Continued controversy and previous incidents
Interestingly, the “Bild” newspaper reports that the “Negro kiss” doesn’t even appear on the restaurant’s menu, raising questions about whether this is a deliberate provocation to attract a certain audience.
Due to numerous complaints, the police have already visited “Oma’s Küche”, but it only resulted in a conversation with the regulatory authorities, according to Gonischur. The use of these words is not punishable by law in Germany.
Even Gonischur’s partner has asked her to take down the sign. However, the 68-year-old refuses to be told “what to do and not to do”. She stated, “We have our own view of things.”
This isn’t the first time the restaurant has attracted attention. Some time ago, it introduced an adults-only policy, barring children under 14 from entering the restaurant after 5 PM.
