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Chemnitz, Germany • Meet Germany's biggest fan: Karl Marx.
A huge statue of the father of communism in the city of Chemnitz sports Germany flags on its cheeks. Authorities say they dressed up the 40-ton bronze head, unveiled by communist East Germany in 1971, to project a "friendly" image but they concede that reaction hasn't been universally positive.
An outsize Germany shirt draped over Marx's pedestal was stolen in the early hours of Friday and found damaged nearby a few hours later.
The bust stands in front of a facade bearing his words "Working men of all countries, unite!" A banner above the madeover Marx declares: "Football fans of all countries, we greet you!"
Chemnitz was renamed Karl-Marx-Stadt in 1953. After communism collapsed, residents voted in 1990 to restore its old name.