BERLIN - Adolf Hitler is back in Berlin.
But this time he's a wax figure depicted hunkering down in his bunker in the German capital in the final days of the Second World War.
The likeness of the Nazi leader hunched over a desk in the dimly lit bunker just before he committed suicide was one of dozens unveiled Thursday at the official opening of the newest branch of the British wax museum, Madame Tussauds.
The waxworks are showcased in chronological and thematic order, highlighting Europe's postwar history.
But even in wax, the presence of Hitler has created a fuss in the German media.
Critics expressed concern that including him violated the country's strict laws against reproducing Nazi symbols. But defenders argued his role in German history could not be ignored.
"We polled people in Berlin about how they want to have the exhibition, and the majority wanted historical and cultural background to the figures," museum spokeswoman Nathalie Ruoss said.
The reviled dictator sits beneath a map of Europe on the wall, monitoring the advance of allied troops from the east and west. Deep lines upon his wax forehead mark his desperate realization of his inevitable fall.
In front of a reproduction of the Berlin wall, a wax President John F. Kennedy stands next to a video showing his famous "I am a Berliner" speech.
German political bigwigs like Willy Brandt and former East German leader Erich Hoenecker are also depicted.
There are living stars, too. Visitors can cuddle with singer Robbie Williams on a sofa during a glamorous party with other wax guests like Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman.
Visitors are allowed to touch and photograph the wax figures, except for Hitler. Two security guards and video cameras make sure nobody breaks the rule.
The Berlin museum, located on the busy Unter den Linden boulevard and near the capital's iconic Brandenburg Gate, opens to the public Saturday.
In a statement, the museum said Hitler's rule "stands for an important, though also appalling, turning point in the development of modern Europe" and stressed that Madame Tussauds is "non-political."
Another wax Hitler stands in the original Madame Tussauds in London.
