A Conservative student association has been condemned after attenders at one of its events were filmed singing a Nazi marching song.
Footage showed a group of people at a black-tie dinner hosted by the University of Warwick Conservative Association dancing to Erika by German composer Herms Niel.
The song was frequently played at military events in Nazi Germany and has also been used by modern white supremacist movements. Its lyrics are not explicitly political, but Niel was a member of the Nazi party and personally conducted bands at Nazi rallies.
The Sunday Times, which published the clip, reported that it was shot at the association’s annual chairman’s dinner at a hotel in Leamington Spa. Just before the clip ends, someone out of shot can be heard saying: “Don’t film.”
The Union of Jewish Students described the clip as “utterly abhorrent” and said it showed “blatant and unchallenged support for nazism”, adding: “Glorification of the Nazis has no place in our society, especially on campus. It is in no way acceptable and must be widely condemned.
“We expect swift and decisive action from the University of Warwick and the Conservative party. Actions must have consequences.”
The association told the MailOnline that it “wholeheartedly condemns the behaviour exhibited during this video and apologises for any offence that has been caused”.
It said Erika was played for a “brief period” after a request from one member to the DJ and was “not included in the preplanned music selection handed to the DJ”.
“Once we became aware of the song being played and what it represents, an exec member spoke to the DJ, and it was immediately turned off,” it said.
The association added that the person who made the request would be excluded from future events, as would anyone who “knowingly engaged with the song”. “We would note that the overwhelming majority of those seen in the video were completely unaware of the origins and connotations of the song,” it said.
A spokesperson for the university said: “We have been made aware of this video and the allegations surrounding it, which are extremely troubling. Behaviour like this is reprehensible and we are disappointed to see our students involved.
“The university is reviewing the material disclosed to us via our reporting service and has notified the students’ union. We have requested a meeting with the Jewish Society (Jsoc) to assist with our review.”
