BERLIN -- Germany's best-selling daily, Bild, has removed its trademark pictures of topless women from the front page in a gesture to quell a storm of complaints, the paper said Friday.

Bild, which sells about 4 million copies a day, will now carry the images on page three instead, a format favored by British tabloids.

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"It is perhaps a small step from a female perspective, but for Bild and all men in Germany, it is a big step," Bild said in an article.

 

Topless women on the cover have been part of Bild's identity for 28 years. More than 5,000 have bared their breasts there since 1984, according to the BBC.

"I'm pleased that the pictures have finally disappeared from the front of the paper but the question is how long it will stay away. It was very degrading but we will have to wait and see whether this is permanent," said Monika Lazar, women's spokeswoman for Green party.

The decision, which was taken on International Women's Day on Thursday, is intended to make the paper more acceptable to women but without losing its character, the paper said. Bild also gave all female employees the day off to mark International Women's Day.

"Of course Bild wants to remain sexy. But in a more modern way, and better packaged inside the paper. Just as so many women and reader panels have wanted," the paper said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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