Legion pulls radio spot after discovering background music was Nazi party march
A Nazi party anthem that was accidentally selected as background music for a Royal Canadian Legion lottery advertisement caused so many complaints it was pulled Monday, the day it first aired on Alberta-wide radio stations. "It should never have happened, that's why it was taken off," said Harvey Shevalier, first vice-president of the Alberta and Northwest Territories command for the legion. "[Members] are very disgruntled or disappointed that it would even get out there without somebody knowing what it was. And rightfully so. I mean, God darn it all, we've paid the price, many times over." The anthem, called the Horst Wessel Lied, features deep drums and energetic brass and calls for a sprinkling of Hitler salutes throughout the song. Mr. Shevalier said a military historian called the Legion to alert them to the musical mistake.