Bernie Ecclestone regrets upset caused by Hitler remarks

07 July 2009 09:01
During a weekend newspaper interview in which he criticised the current political process, the billionaire spoke of the Nazi dictator's ability to "get things done" and said Hitler had "got taken away and persuaded to do things".[LNB]But Mr Ecclestone said "things were taken a little bit wrong".[LNB] Related ArticlesCVC apologises for Bernie Ecclestones Hitler gaffeBernie Ecclestone regretful over Hitler comments but no resignationBernie Ecclestone apologises for praising Adolf HitlerMichael Jacksons Thriller, interview with director John LandisAlan and Ann Keen are in trouble again"(Hitler) brought a country that was bankrupt into a country that was very strong and that was really demonstrating what someone could do if they had the power and didn't have to keep back and referring every five minutes," said Ecclestone,[LNB]"The trouble with politicians and democracy is they all the time have to compromise, they can't do what they want to do because there is somebody in opposition. It certainly takes a lot longer to do something.[LNB]"I regret that it didn't come out like that, upsetting people is the last thing I wanted to do, obviously."[LNB]Mr Ecclestone, 78, said he was being positive only about Hitler's leadership of Nazi Germany between 1932 and 1938, adding: "After that the guy was obviously a lunatic.[LNB]"It's probably my fault in that I got dragged into something I wasn't supposed to discuss - we got out of F1 into something else."[LNB]As a result of Ecclestone's comments, the governor of Germany's Baden-Wuerttemberg state, Guenther Oettinger, cancelled their planned meeting at this weekend's German Grand Prix. [LNB]Ecclestone said he was not aware of that. [LNB]"I think I'm due to be meeting him at 12 o'clock on Sunday — nobody has told me to the contrary," he said. [LNB]Hitler presided over the Nazi genocide of six million Jews during the Second World War.[LNB]In an interview with The Times newspaper on Saturday, the Formula One boss also said Max Mosley, president of the motor racing body FIA and son of British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley, would make a good prime minister.[LNB]Mr Ecclestone's comments attracted widespread criticism, with Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle, saying he was "either an idiot or morally repulsive".[LNB]The World Jewish Congress also said that he should resign.[LNB]But Mr Ecclestone was dismissive of the call: "I think the people who are saying that (I should resign) haven't got the power to say these things." [LNB] 

Source: Telegraph