A collective of Holocaust survivors has insisted that Nigel Farage admit the facts and express remorse for reported anti-Jewish comments he reportedly directed toward Jewish pupils during his time at school.
The Reform UK leader has previously stated he never insulted anyone with the aim to hurt, suggesting it may have been mere "playground banter".
"As Shoah survivors, we understand the deadly peril of words of hatred – because we have witnessed where such words can lead," stated the survivors in a open letter.
"We must be unambiguous: praising Hitler, mimicking gas chambers, or directing racial slurs is not banter. Not among children. Not ever."
The letter puts forth direct questions to the political figure: "Is it true you said ‘Hitler was right’ and ‘gas them,’ while mimicking gas chambers? Did you subject your peers to anti-Jewish taunts?"
The group of eleven survivors contains individuals with harrowing personal experiences from the Nazi genocide.
The remaining survivors include Janine Webber, Edith Jayne, Helen Aronson, Ruth Barnett, John Fieldsend, Susan Pollack, Hanneke Dye and Agnes Kaposi.
This action comes after the dismissal of corroborating testimony by more than several dozen ex-schoolmates and teachers as "made-up twaddle" by a senior party figure.
Following the publication, additional former pupils have come forward. Twenty-eight former pupils and teachers now state they witnessed racist or antisemitic behaviour by him.
One notable account comes from Peter Ettedgui, a Jewish-born Bafta and Emmy-winning director, who recalls that a teenage Farage would sidle up to him and repeat the phrases "Hitler was right" and "gas them", on occasion making a prolonged hissing sound to simulate the sound of poison gas.
Other former pupils from diverse backgrounds have also come forward with stories of direct abuse.
The final appeal puts forth an ultimate question to Farage: "Should you continue to deny saying those words, are you claiming that scores of witnesses are lying? If you did say them, now is the moment to take responsibility and apologise."
"People who hope to lead our country should not ever create division by race or religion. Anti-Jewish bigotry must never be normalised. This moment is about ethical duty. The decision is your own, Mr Farage."
Lena Hoffmann is a seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter, specializing in German current affairs and digital media trends.
