In a story reported by NBCNews.com’s World News, the popular Berlin square Theodor Heuss Platz was momentarily renamed “Adolf Hitler Platz” on Google Maps.
Google apologized for the error in an email sent to NBC, stating, “We were made aware of a wrong and inappropriate Berlin street name on Google Maps and have corrected this as quickly as possible.”
Spotted by a Google Maps user, NBC said Google didn’t know how long the inappropriate street name had been listed on Google Maps; although, the news network claimed local media reports suggest the error had been in place for a couple of hours.
Most likely, the street name had been changed via Google’s Map Maker, a tool that allows users to contribute to and edit Google Maps. According to the report, Google executives said they, “Had no explanation for the incident, but are now investigating the error.”
German Internet expert and blogger Sascha Lobo explained to NBC News that during Hitler’s rise to power, the street was at one time named after the leader of the Nazi Party. “The name Adolf Hitler Platz was then probably approved because it is historically correct,” said Lobo.
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