What’s the story behind the Catholic parade float with Auschwitz imagery?

The artist who designed the display said he did not intend to be offensive.

A Halloween parade in Hanover, Pennsylvania, sparked controversy over the weekend when a local Catholic school’s float included a replica of the main entrance gate at Auschwitz concentration camp, with the notorious phrase Arbeit Macht Frei — Work will set you free.

The local bishop apologized for the display later that day, calling it “offensive and unacceptable.” The artist who designed the display apologized as well, saying he did not intend to be offensive with the float.

As the story takes on a social media life of its own, The Pillar aims to bring you the facts.

Credit: Nicole Sellers.

What happened?

St. Joseph Catholic School in Hanover regularly participates in the Hanover Halloween Parade. This year, the school’s float consisted of several detailed displays, which the artist said were intended to show different stages of life. Decorations on the displays included a cornucopia, a swingset, and a diner.

The final display depicted a graveyard, with an entrance gate resembling that of Auschwitz and bearing the words “Arbeit Macht Frei.”

The imagery was noticed by parade participants, who posted images and videos online, where they quickly attracted hundreds of angry comments and attention from local, national, and international media.

How did the phrase ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ get onto the float?

A man named Galen Shelly identified himself on social media as the creator of the controversial float.

In a series of lengthy comments on Facebook, Shelly apologized, saying he did not realize the inclusion of the phrase might be interpreted as offensive.

“Words do matter, and sometimes the same words can be used for both good and bad. Words misplaced or misunderstood and words within symbols can harm deeply and for that I offer my humblest apologize (sic),” he said.

The Facebook comments were rambling and largely incoherent, with statements like, “From From hitch to tail this, was one float in the parade to which a lineal and cohesive message communicated by each detail hoping to convey an eternal perspective about life.”

Shelly said he had remembered visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., several decades ago and being moved by the phrase, reflecting that it was a lie.

“It occurred to me then as it does now that ‘Works alone will NOT free us’!!! In all our ‘work’ we have no hope! Ephesians 2: 8,9 That visual message struck a chord SOO deeply in my soul that day some 35 years ago that I can clearly state even NOW, I have never forgotten where it first impacted me and what it meant to me as I discovered it’s (sic) sad origin and history. Let us never forget,” he said on Facebook.

Shelly suggested that he hoped to convey the idea that working frantically to accumulate material goods is pointless, since everyone will eventually die and be judged not on their material goods but on how they used their time.

The scene included an open gate at the back of the graveyard, intending to show Christ’s victory over the tomb, he said.

“I have erred and will gladly offer this apology for not realizing there were other ways to interpret a part, especially without knowledge of the whole. My thoughts simply did not go ‘there’ and as you can imagine I was horrified to find that I have offended anyone much less put those closest to me in jeopardy and caused St Joseph’s to come into question at my fumbled effort to make a positive spiritual message out of a float for them,” he said.

Metcalf Cleaning LLC, a local company that was pulling the float, also apologized, saying in a statement that it “volunteered to pull a float for a local community group; however, we were not involved in the creation of its decorations or messaging.”

“Regrettably, the float contained a phrase in German that was later found to be derogatory. At the time, we were unaware of its meaning and significance. We recognize that we should have taken a closer look at the float prior to the parade, and we are truly sorry for that oversight,” the statement said.

How has the diocese responded to the float?

Bishop Timothy Senior of Harrisburg issued a statement Friday saying that he was “shocked and appalled” to learn about the display on the float.

“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. While the original, approved design for this float did not contain this imagery, it does not change the fact that this highly recognizable symbol of hate was included,” 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,” Senior said.

“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 Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition and the Anti-Defamation League “to ensure that this incident becomes an opportunity for education and reflection” for the local school community. He also said the approval process for parade floats will be reviewed.

“Let us continue to pray for healing, understanding, and unity among all of God’s people,” the bishop said.

How has the school responded to the float?

Local media outlets reported that leaders of St. Joseph Catholic Church apologized for the incident in a statement posted Saturday on Facebook. But as of Monday morning, the post appeared to have been removed, and the link to it was broken.

The apology from the school reportedly said that there had been a “lack of vigilance” in reviewing the display, and that the ”objectively evil” words were missed among the extensive details of the float.

“Most of the people at that parade probably did not even know what those words meant,” the statement reportedly said, adding that this is “because we’ve stopped speaking about the Holocaust and the atrocities that happened.”

The Pillar reached out to both the school and parish to ask for a statement.

Rachel Bryson, the diocesan secretary for public relations, responded, saying, “Bishop Senior’s statement is also the statement for the school.”

Local media also reported that a threatening voicemail was left for the principal of St. Joseph’s school after the parade, and that the parish had to cancel events over the weekend. A Philadelphia man was reportedly charged with making terroristic threats.

How has the local Jewish community responded to the float?

The York Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, and the Jewish Federation of Harrisburg released a joint statement on Saturday expressing concern and alarm.

“The recent use of Nazi imagery on a float in a Halloween parade in Hanover is another painful reminder that hateful symbols and rhetoric still find their way into public spaces. These acts, intentional or not, contribute to fear and anxiety among Jewish individuals and all who understand the devastating history those symbols represent,” the statement said.

The organizations voiced gratitude for Senior’s apology, saying, “Recognizing the impact of such imagery is an important step toward understanding, healing, and ensuring that incidents like this do not happen again.”

“Now is a time for unity and education,” the statement continued. “We call on community leaders, educators, and neighbors to join us in standing against antisemitism and hate in all forms.”