A group of Holocaust survivors has issued a powerful demand for Nigel Farage to confront allegations of antisemitic behaviour during his time as a schoolboy. The Reform UK leader faces claims from former classmates that he directed racist abuse at Jewish pupils while attending the prestigious Dulwich College in south London.
An Open Letter from Survivors
In a letter seen by the Guardian, eleven Holocaust survivors have directly challenged Farage. They state they understand the profound danger of hateful rhetoric, having witnessed its ultimate consequences. The group explicitly rejects Farage's characterisation of the alleged behaviour as mere "banter in a playground."
"Let us be clear: praising Hitler, mocking gas chambers, or hurling racist abuse is not banter. Not in a playground. Not anywhere," the letter declares. The survivors pose direct questions to the political leader, asking if he said "Hitler was right" and "gas them," while mimicking gas chambers.
The signatories include individuals who endured unimaginable horrors. Hedi Argent lost 27 family members in the Holocaust. Simon Winston was held in a ghetto before escaping in 1942. Anita Lasker-Wallfisch survived nearly a year in Auschwitz-Birkenau before being moved to Bergen-Belsen, where British forces liberated her in April 1945.
Mounting Allegations from School Contemporaries
The survivors' intervention follows a Guardian investigation which reported testimony from 28 former pupils and teachers who say they witnessed racist or antisemitic behaviour by Farage at Dulwich College. Since the initial report two weeks ago, more contemporaries have come forward.
The most detailed account comes from Peter Ettedgui, a Bafta and Emmy-winning director, who is Jewish. He alleges that a teenage Farage would sidle up to him and say "Hitler was right" and "gas them," sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate gas chambers. Eight other contemporaries have offered accounts to corroborate that Farage targeted Ettedgui.
One new account is from Nick Hearn, a banker who describes himself as a "conservative with a small c." He says he regularly witnessed Ettedgui being abused by Farage and has called on the Reform leader to "come clean."
Denials and the Call for Moral Responsibility
Farage has stated he never racially abused anyone with intent. In response to the allegations, Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, dismissed the testimony of more than two dozen people as "made-up twaddle" and labelled Ettedgui a liar, suggesting those coming forward had a political motive.
The Holocaust survivors' letter directly addresses this denial. "If you deny saying those words, are you saying that 20 former classmates and teachers are lying?" they ask. "If you did say them, now is the time to acknowledge you were wrong, and apologise."
They conclude with a stark message about leadership: "Those who hope to lead our country should never divide people by race or religion. Antisemitic hatred must never be normalised. This moment is about moral responsibility. The choice is yours, Mr Farage."
The controversy extends beyond antisemitism. Other former pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds have also alleged direct abuse. Cyrus Oshidar claims Farage called him a "Paki," while another student of Asian heritage said Farage used the phrase "Enoch Powell was right" as a form of racial intimidation.
Reform UK has been approached for further comment on the survivors' letter.
