Arnold Schwarzenegger left many fans on social media upset and confused after he signed the Auschwitz Museum guestbook with his iconic “The Terminator” catchphrase “I’ll be back.” The official Twitter account for the museum shared Schwarzenegger’s signature. The actor visited Auschwitz after receiving the inaugural Award for Fighting Hatred from the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation earlier this year.
Amid backlash to quoting “The Terminator” in the guestbook, the Auschwitz Museum posted on Twitter the following explanation for the actor’s signature: “This visit was planned to be relatively short. The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more in-depth visit.”
Schwarzenegger was announced in June as the recipient of the Award for Fighting Hatred.
“I am witness to the ruins of a country broken by the Nazis,” Schwarzenegger wrote in a statement at the time. “I saw firsthand how this hatred spun out of control and I share these painful memories with the world in the hopes of preventing future tragedies and educating soldiers about personal responsibility. I stand with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation and their mission of education to ensure NEVER AGAIN.”
According to the Auschwitz Museum, Schwarzenegger visited the memorial on Sept. 28 to “honor all the victims of the camp and deepen his knowledge about history that would help him fight against prejudices nowadays.”
The museum issued an explanation for Schwarzenegger’s signature after fans criticized it on social media for being “tacky” and “flippant.” As one user wrote, “Not sure the tone of that was entirely suitable.”