Berlin - Today sees the start of a controversial advertising campaign to attract donations for Germany's memorial for Jewish victims of the Holocaust, with full-page newspaper ads and billboards reading "The Holocaust never happened", writes Derek Scally.
The slogan, superimposed on an idyllic Alpine landscape, is followed by a sentence encouraging donations to the memorial to stop Holocaust denial.
The campaign will be started this morning with the unveiling of a billboard at the Brandenburg Gate, adjacent to the site where the memorial is under construction.
"We know we're taking a risk by provoking but perhaps the majority are just a bit indifferent and we want to give them a little push," said Ms Lea Rosh, a member of a fundraising group.
The federal government is paying for the DM49.5 million (£19.8 million) memorial, a large field with 2,700 concrete slabs that will be completed in 2004.
But Ms Rosh hopes ordinary Germans will contribute to the DM5 million (£2 million) cost of a proposed visitors centre at the memorial.
Those wishing to donate can call a special telephone number to have DM5 (£2) added to their telephone bill.