Roald Dahl is acclaimed for his words. But whilst millions know and love him as the creative mind behind some of the world’s most celebrated children’s books, there’s also many who have long condemned his openly racist remarks.
The author, who passed away in 1990 at age 74, held anti-Semitic opinions that his family have quietly apologised for. It is not clear how long the apology has sat on the website for, but British newspaper, The Sunday Times, highlighted the statement in an article last Sunday.
In a 1983 interview with The New Statesman, Roald Dahl - the author of books including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG and The Witches - expressed his prejudice towards Jewish people.
“There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity, maybe it’s a kind of lack of generosity towards non-Jews,” he said. “I mean, there’s always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere; even a stinker like Hitler didn’t just pick on them for no reason. I mean, if you and I were in a line moving towards what we knew were gas chambers, I’d rather have a go at taking one of the guards with me; but they [the Jews] were always submissive.”
In 1990, he doubled down on his remarks.