No Cake for Hitler!?

As Adolf Hitler Campbell celebrates birthday, media swarms family and supermarket

by Express-Times staff

Thursday December 18, 2008, 12:16 AM

The information superhighway has been the Autobahn for a story that was published on Sunday about a family, a store, a cake and a child named Adolf Hitler Campbell.

Since the details of ShopRite of Greenwich Township's refusal to personalize a cake with the name "Adolf Hitler" on it were published in the Express-Times and on www.lehighvalleylive.com, the story has been subsequently picked up by national and international Web sites and media outlets.

"I thought it was a national story and then I'm like, 'Whoa, that's the Greenwich ShopRite that I go to,'"said a shopper, who declined to give his name but identified himself as a Kintnersville resident.

The parents, Heath and Deborah Campbell, have appeared on national radio shows such as" The Alan Colmes Show" and the author of the original story, Douglas Brill, has also received interview requests.

Express-Times Photo | BRUCE WINTERAdolf Hitler Campbell celebrated his 3rd birthday over the weekend.

"They (the parents) knew what they were doing when they came here," said Lawrence Jardine, a shopper from Stewartsville. "They're just trying to make an issue out of it."

Young Adolf had his birthday party Sunday, which was attended by about a dozen youngsters, including some of mixed race, according to Heath Campbell.

The family turned down ShopRite's offer of a cake with room left for them to personalize it themselves, opting instead to purchase a cake from Wal-Mart.

The national media attention this birthday cake has received hasWal-Mart re-evaluating its decision.

"It's clear that in serving this customer, some people were offended," spokesman Greg Rossiter said. "As a result, we're going to review our policies."

Express-Times Photo | BRUCE WINTERNazi memorabilia adorns the Campbell home.

Our editorial staff has heard from many readers over the last few days in addition to the many comments posted online with the original story.

Now they raise a valid point in questioning why Heath and Deborah Campbell don't change their names instead of subjecting their children because of their fascination with figures of the Third Reich?

"If Heath and Deborah are enamored with Nazi surnames, why didn't they adopt them as their own? Instead, they're letting a 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds front for them."

The Campbells also have two daughters, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)