A restaurant in Massachusetts has come under fire, receiving significant backlash and threats after a group of individuals dressed in Nazi uniforms, who were participating in a World War II reenactment, were allowed to dine there over the weekend.

The eight reenactors visited Kith and Kin in Hudson after taking part in a World War II event organized by the American Heritage Museum. According to the restaurant, while four of the reenactors were dressed as Allied soldiers and one as a nurse, the rest wore SS officer uniforms, referring to the paramilitary group that guarded Adolf Hitler.

After a significant backlash, Kith and Kin issued an apology the following day. The restaurant had to temporarily close on Tuesday as threats intensified in response to widespread media coverage; it has since reopened.

“As a family-run establishment, we aim to constantly improve and learn. We recognize we fell short last night, and we offer our sincerest apologies,” stated Kith and Kin on Sunday.

The American Heritage Museum released a statement to YSL News condemning the reenactors for donning the uniforms outside of a historical context, indicating that they would implement stricter uniform protocols moving forward.

“At a time when anti-Semitic acts are on the rise, when neo-Nazism is becoming more visible, and Holocaust denial persists, wearing German military uniforms in public settings is utterly thoughtless,” the statement articulated. “It’s despicable.”

Kith and Kin addresses the incident

The message elaborated: “While we understood they were historians, we should have considered that other patrons might not have been aware of the WWII reenactment happening locally.”

“We would never want to offend or harm anyone in our community,” concluded the statement. “If we had any suspicion that these individuals harbored anti-Semitic views, they would not have been allowed within our premises.”

Museum to revise uniform policies for reenactments

The reenactors were part of a larger group that participated in a weekend-long WWII reenactment.

Utilizing restored military equipment, over 350 reenactors portrayed soldiers and military personnel from both the Allied and Axis forces to create an informative “living history,” as promoted in a museum post about the event.

However, in the statement provided to YSL News, the museum noted that the uniforms should remain at the reenactment venue.

“These uniforms were meant specifically for the educational purpose of illustrating what American troops faced and overcame 80 years ago,” the museum, also located in Hudson, stated in its announcement.

In light of recent events, the museum plans to review and possibly enhance its protocols, ensuring they are clearly understood and followed by all reenactors involved in their activities.