A high school in Taiwan drew harsh criticism Sunday after photographs of its students in Nazi uniforms surfaced on social media. According to the Taipei Times, the images were taken at Hsinchu Kuang Fu High School, a private school in Hsinchu City. The students can be seen dressed as Nazi soldiers, standing in formation, marching and waving swastika flags. The students' history teacher can also be seen in one of the photos, dressed as Adolf Hitler, while another student is seen riding a cardboard tank and performing a Nazi salute. The photos went viral, triggering widespread criticism from the Israeli mission in Taiwan, and several government officials. The Israeli Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, which represents Israel's interests in Taiwan in the absence of bilateral diplomatic ties, issued a statement condemning the incident. "It is deplorable and shocking that seven decades only after the world had witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust, a high school in Taiwan is supporting such an outrageous action as we witnessed yesterday at Hsinchu Kuang Fu Senior High School. We strongly condemn this tasteless occurrence and call on the Taiwanese authorities, at all levels, to initiate educational programs which would introduce the meaning of the Holocaust and teach its history and universal meaning. Israel would support such endeavors as may be necessary," a statement by Israeli envoy to Taiwan Asher Yarden said. The Taiwanese Presidential Office has launched an investigation into the incident, calling it "regrettable." "We feel it was extremely disrespectful to the Jewish people who had been victims of the oppression perpetrated during wars, but more importantly, it highlighted ignorance about history. The responsibility of an education facility is to teach students that peace and diversity did not come easily. The freedom of thinking should be based on justice and respect, rather than misconduct. "Education authorities should require the school to shoulder responsibility by seriously reflecting on the incident, understand and improve education in related fields of study, and apologize to the countries it offended," it said in a statement. Taiwan's Education Ministry expressed "astonishment and regret," over the incident, while Education Minister Pan Wen-chung apologized, urging all schools in Taiwan to learn a lesson from the incident. The Taiwan News reported that the school apologized, saying it had "failed to do the necessary review beforehand." The school reportedly promised such incidents would not happen again.
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Taiwan high school blasted for allowing students to stage 'Nazi march'
Photos of Hsinchu Kuang Fu High School students dressed as Nazi soldiers, standing in formation, marching and waving swastika flags go viral • Israeli Cultural Office in Taipei: Incident deplorable • Taiwanese Education Ministry, school apologize.