Mattel Apologizes to Poland Over ‘Nazi Poland’ Reference in Apples to Apples Game

Reuters
Reuters
Mary Chastain

The Polish government demanded American toy company Mattel remove “Nazi Poland” from their popular game Apples to Apples. The company issued an apology over social media.

The game “asks players to compare things – in its original version, nouns and adjectives – in order to create ‘crazy combinations’ in a game ‘as unique as the individuals who are playing.’” The popularity spawned versions for children and the Bible. But Polish officials discovered a card that is historically inaccurate:

1993 Steven Spielberg film. Powerful, real-life story of a Catholic businessman who eventually saved over 1,000 Jews in Nazi Poland.

Nazi Poland never existed. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, which started World War II. The USSR invaded on September 17 after the government worked out an agreement with Japan. The two countries split Poland according to the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Poland ceased to exist. In fact, Poland did not receive freedom until the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

“In a matter of a few hours after receiving information from Nowy Dziennik newspaper that such a phrase exists in the game, Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf sent a letter to the CEO of Mattel, Mr. Christopher A. Sinclair, requesting that Mattel immediately rectify the situation by means of withdrawing the game in question from circulation,” stated the Polish Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Mattel told their fans they noticed the mistake in 2013 and removed the cards. They also offered to exchange old games for newer versions.

“The Embassy of the Republic of Poland accepts with satisfaction a letter with apologies from Mattel Inc CEO Christopher A. Sinclair in response to Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf’s protest,” wrote the Polish Embassy. “The letter apologizes for Mattel’s ‘gross oversight’ with regard to the mistake which was made during the production of ‘Apples to Apples.’ The Embassy positively assesses the declaration of Mattel Inc. to exchange the old versions of the game for newer ones free of charge. The new version does not contain the historically inaccurate card.”

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