Bishop Apologizes for Catholic School’s Offensive Halloween Float With Nazi Imagery
by Shiryn Ghermezian
A drone view of the “Arbeit macht frei” gate at the former Auschwitz concentration camp ahead of the 80th anniversary of its liberation, Oswiecim, Poland, Jan. 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
A Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania condemned and apologized for Holocaust imagery appearing on a Halloween parade float that was presented by St. Joseph Catholic School in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
Bishop Timothy C. Senior of the Diocese of Harrisburg released a statement on Friday, a day after the float was featured in the town’s Halloween parade. He said he was “shocked and appalled” that the float included a replica of the gate at the entrance of the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp that features the words “Arbeit Macht Frei,” a German phrase that translates to “Work Makes You Free.” He added that the original, approved design for the float did not include the Holocaust reference.
“The inclusion of this image — one that represents the horrific suffering and murder of millions of innocent people, including six million Jews during the Holocaust — is profoundly offensive and unacceptable,” he said. “On behalf of the Diocese of Harrisburg, I express my sincere apology to our Jewish brothers and sisters and to all who were hurt or offended by this display. I strongly condemn the inclusion of this symbol on the float. As Catholics, we stand firmly against all forms of antisemitism, hatred, and prejudice, which are rampant in our society. The Church’s relationship with the Jewish community is one of deep respect, friendship, and shared faith in the one true God.”
Senior said he will work with the school community to “ensure that this incident becomes an opportunity for education and reflection,” and review the approval processes to prevent “such a grievous incident” from happening in the future. He also vowed to work with the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition and the Anti-Defamation League to help educate the local school community about the horrors that Jews suffered during the Holocaust and antisemitism in the world today.
Several Jewish groups have also criticized the Halloween float, including StandWithUs, which said that the “egregious display of antisemitic hate” represents “a shocking and dangerous level of ignorance, moral failure, or malice on the part of the individuals responsible.”
“These acts, intentional or not, contribute to fear and anxiety among Jewish individuals and all who understand the devastating history those symbols represent,” said The York JCC, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, and the Jewish Federation of Harrisburg in a joint statement. “We appreciate Bishop Senior’s acknowledgment of the harm caused and his apology on behalf of the Diocese. Recognizing the impact of such imagery is an important step toward understanding, healing, and ensuring that incidents like this do not happen again.”
Auschwitz, located in Poland, was the Nazis’ largest death camp, where 1 million Jews were murdered during World War II.
