KFC apologises for Kristallnacht chicken promotion

KFC suggested customers 'treat themselves' on the anniversary of the 1938 Kristallnacht, when Nazis torched and ransacked synagogues and Jewish businesses across Germany

KFC has been forced to apologise after sending a notification to German customers encouraging them to commemorate the Kristallnacht anti-Jewish pogrom with fried chicken and cheese.

The fast food chain sent a notification on Wednesday suggesting customers "treat themselves" on the anniversary of the 1938 Kristallnacht, or Night of Broken Glass, the Bild daily reported.

On November 9, 1938, Nazi mobs torched and ransacked synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses across Germany in what is widely seen as the start of the Third Reich's drive to wipe out Jews.

"Commemoration of Kristallnacht -- Treat yourself to more soft cheese and crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!," the message reportedly read.

KFC sent another message around an hour later blaming the blunder on "an error in our system", Bild said.

"We are very sorry, we will check our internal processes immediately so that this does not happen again. Please excuse this error," the message said.