One council member argued that to revoke Hitler’s honorary citizenship would
be nonsensical.

“It would be a distortion of history, the whole debate is laughable,” Traudi
Fröst said.

But the council’s failure to come to a conclusion was met with horror amongst
others in Dietramszell. The head of the local criminal court said the news
was “deeply distressing”. He said there had been a rise in neoNazi violence
in Germany which must be quashed and it was the duty of the council to send
a clear message condemning Hitler.

Town administrator Thomas Gerg eventually called a full council vote on
Wednesday after hearing a powerful testimony from a woman who lost family in
the Holocaust.

The second vote was unanimous – 21-0 to adopt the resolution, denounce the
1933 decision and strip Hitler and von Hindenburg of their honorary
citizenship.