Economist regrets anti-Semitism comment

BERLIN, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- German economist Hans-Werner Sinn apologized to the Jewish community Monday for linking current attacks on company executives to World War II-era anti-Semitism.

The leading economist said in a letter to the Central Council of Jews in Germany that he was wrong to compare today's backlash against corporate leaders to anti-Jewish persecution that occurred following the Wall Street crash of 1929, Deutsche Welle reported.

"In no way did I intend to compare the fate of Jews after 1933 with the current situation of executives," said Sinn, referring to the Holocaust and similar anti-Semitic activities.

"My sole intention was to draw attention to the fact that failures in the system were the real causes of economic crises and needed to be uncovered and rectified."

Sinn had said in a recent interview that in every crisis, people look for scapegoats. "In the Great Crash of 1929, in Germany it was the Jews. Today it's executives," he was quoted as saying.

Deutsche Welle said that comment was promptly labeled invalid and wrong by government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm.