A board game called “Secret Hitler” was removed from the shelves of three stores in Montreal on Sunday after B’nai Brith Canada received complaints from members of the local Jewish community.
“Anything that depicts anything regarding Hitler is a very sensitive issue, especially with growing anti-Semitism throughout Canada, the U.S. and around the world,” Harvey Levine, B’nai Brith’s regional director in Quebec, told the Montreal Gazette.
Three branches of the Tour de Jeux shopping chain pulled the game, which came out in 2017. It was apparently financed through a Kickstarter campaign launched in 2015.
Set in pre-World War II Germany, the game divides players into two teams: the liberals and the fascists. The fascists work to take over the government and make “Secret Hitler” chancellor, while the liberals try to stop the player who is designated the “Secret Hitler” from taking power.
The game is still available on Amazon. It is described as a “fast-paced game of deception and betrayal” with “beautiful wooden components” and “Hidden roles and secret envelopes for five to 10 players.”
One of the creators, Max Temkin, a Jewish designer from Chicago, is also the co-creator of the popular game “Cards Against Humanity.”