Holocaust survivor lifts the lid on anti-Semitism at elite school: ’History can repeat itself’

Olga Horak survived five concentration camps during the Holocaust before coming to Australia as an orphan. With anti-Semitism in schools growing, she fears history is repeating.

A Holocaust survivor who lived through five concentration camps before coming to Australia with the hope of a new life has revealed her own grandson was pulled out of an elite Sydney school after anti-Semitic bullying.

Almost 18 years later, the same school, Cranbrook in Bellevue Hill, has been embroiled in scandal after a spate of anti-Semitic bullying incidents were exposed by The Daily Telegraph.

Holocaust survivor Olga Horak said her then teenage grandson was bullied for being Jewish — and called “Jew boy” — and nothing was done after the family notified the headmaster.

Now, the Telegraph can reveal that more families have come forward with recent cases of anti-Semitism, with one parent revealing their child was also referred to as “Jew” instead of their name.

In chilling parallels to the holocaust, the parent said their child had also been called “Rich Jew” and greeted with Nazi salutes.

A disturbing video of students doing a Nazi salute was recently exposed. Picture: Supplied

An email sent from Cranbrook School Council President Jon North informing families of the investigation.

“What concerns me are the anti-Semitic tropes, the Hitler glorification. I don’t understand how the school could not have been aware of this? How they couldn’t see the Nazi salutes?” the parent said.

Last week Cranbrook’s school council was forced to call a “detailed review” into the allegations but multiple sources confirmed to the Telegraph that cruel anti-Semitic bullying had continued at the school despite the complaints and media storm.

96-year-old Auschwitz survivor Ms Horak, who came to Australia as an orphan after losing her entire family in the war, said reports of students doing the sieg heils at Cranbrook made her fear that “history can repeat itself”.

She said the disturbing stories brought back memories of how the Holocaust had its roots in similar moments of everyday discrimination and bullying.

Holocaust survivor Olga Horak was a orphan teenager in the Nazi prison camps during World War 2 and came to Australia with nothing in 1948. Picture: Richard Dobson

“It’s disgusting. I am very very disappointed. I’m terribly disappointed that this exists … Years ago my grandson had an incident in Cranbrook and my daughter complained to the principal and nothing was done. She took him out in year 11 and he finished at Reddam (House). It exists even these days,” she said.

“I’m 96 years old and I’m aware of the danger and it frightens me that history can repeat itself. Hatred is ugly and it brought on a tragedy I can’t forget.

“I still remember as a young student when he was 17 or 18, now he is 35. Things like this stay in my mind as a danger, it is dangerous that things can’t change and repeat themselves till today. (Incidents) like this can travel very far.”

Olga Horak and her family on arrival in Australia in 1949. Picture: Supplied

Ms Horak is a regular contributor to Darlinghurst’s Sydney Jewish Museum and relives her trauma every week in a bid to spread information about one of the world’s darkest chapters.

She said education is the key to stamping out the rising anti-Semitism but it wasn’t limited to classrooms — parents have to step in as well.

“I’m a product of the persecution and I’m a survivor of five different camps. I will try my best to educate people,” she said.

“There aren’t many of us left, we are still active and we are one of the oldest (remaining) survivors. Students should see holocaust survivors who can still talk and be articulate enough to give them the right education.”

Olga Horak (left) with her mother Piroska and sister Judith. Both of whom were murdered by the Nazis. Picture: Sydney Jewish Museum

Ms Horak relives her trauma every week at the Sydney Jewish Museum in a bid to spread information about one of the world’s darkest chapters. Picture: Katherine Griffths, SJM Collection

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Darren Bark will be speaking to local students at education summits arranged by local MP Allegra Spender to tackle the rise in anti-Semitism.

“The fact that children are being bullied, simply because they are Jewish, is intolerable,” he said.

“These incidents highlight the importance of students, and their parents, being able to report incidents as they happen. It is vital so that the school can provide support to the victim as well as take appropriate action against the perpetrator.”

The Telegraph contacted Cranbrook for a comment.