Google apologizes after German square re-named 'Adolf Hitler'

The label of the square was changed in Google Maps for a few hours, sparking social media controversy, but was quickly changed back.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Google Maps (Theodor-Heuss-Platz) (photo credit: Courtesy)
Google Maps (Theodor-Heuss-Platz)
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Google offered an apology on Friday, after its Maps application mysteriously re-named a popular Berlin square after Adolf Hitler, a name it was called during Germany's Nazi-era, AFP reported.
Google spokeswoman Lena Wagner says that the location, which is currently named "Theodor-Heuss-Platz" after the first post WWII German president, was only re-labeled for a few hours before it was removed. The change, however, managed to spark social media outrage, urging Google to make the correction right away.
“We were made aware of a false and inappropriate street name on Google Maps and corrected it immediately,” she reportedly said.
According to the AFP report, the new name of the square was given in 1963, but was only named after Hitler between the years of 1933 and 1947.
This is not the first instance of Google stirring political controversy.
In May, the internet giant took a symbolic step, and changed the tagline on the homepage of its Palestinian edition from “Palestinian territories” to “Palestine.”