Creator of Nazi cake bakes bun adorned with Jewish and Christian symbols

VIENNA — An Austrian pastry shop owner whose cakes adorned with Nazi designs caused a nationwide stir sought to make amends Friday by giving a traditional Easter bun decorated with Jewish and Christian symbols to a member of a Holocaust awareness group that publicized the case.

The group, the Mauthausen Committee, said baker Manfred Klaschka exchanged gifts with committee member Willi Mernyi, with Klaschka presenting the pastry and Mernyi giving Klaschka a book describing Nazi crimes in Austria's Mauthausen concentration camp.

Mernyi said he arranged the meeting because he is convinced Klaschka is "not a right-wing baker" and that he is sorry for making the cakes.

Klaschka, who had previously apologized, did so again Friday.

"I recognize that this was a mistake," a Mauthausen Committee statement quoted him as saying. "I am no Nazi."