Arnold Schwarzenegger under fire for using catchphrase to sign Auschwitz book

Arnold Schwarzenegger has come under fire for using one of his famous catchphrases to sign the Auschwitz guestbook.

The 75-year-old actor attended the Nazi death camp in Poland today (28 September) as part of his work with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation, which seeks to educate against all forms of hate.

Back in June, Arnie received the organisation's 'Fighting Hatred' award for his anti-hatred messages on social media.

Michal Dyjuk/AP/Shutterstock

As part of his current trip, he headed to the World War II concentration camp where he met with a Holocaust survivor, the son of Holocaust survivors and a woman who as a young child was made to suffer experiments by notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele.

According to AP, after his visit the Terminator star said: "This is a story that has to stay alive, this is a story that we have to tell over and over again.

“I was the son of a man who fought in the Nazi war and was a soldier... Let’s fight prejudice together and let’s just terminate it once and for all."

Auschwitz Memorial shared a number of tweets of the event, including Arnie's guestbook inscription - which featured his signature alongside his famous Terminator catchphrase 'I'll be back'.

Although people knew he meant well, some felt the movie reference was in poor taste, with one writing: "Not sure the tone of that was entirely suitable," and another adding: "A bit frivolous and tacky."

A third added: "I'm glad he visited and wrote in the book but I had to think twice about the message. I'm sure he meant it in the nicest possible way and having been there I know its hard to find the right words but I'm not sure these were the best."

Others, however, jumped to the star's defence, including this person who said: "It's so sad to see so many hate on him for this. He obviously means he will come back to the site in the future. Yikes."

Another commented: "His play on words is not shallow. He meant it. And he’s right to say it."

Auschwitz Memorial even stepped in amongst the tumult to determine that there was no ill intent behind the signing.

"This visit was planned to be relatively short," it wrote. "The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more in depth visit."

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