Roald Dahl Museum acknowledges author’s ‘undeniable’ antisemitism

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New Statesman magazine. Dahl publicly made a number of antisemitic comments throughout his career, including in a 1983 interview with the New Statesman in which he said, “There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity, maybe it’s a kind of lack of generosity towards non-Jews.

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." The admission by the museum, located in Buckinghamshire in southeast England, follows an apology in 2020 by the Dahl family and Roald Dahl Story Company for his well-documented anti-Semitic comments. The Dahl museum, which is a charity, said it fully supported the 2020 apology and that it "condemns all racism, including antisemitism, directed at any group or individual".

"Roald Dahl's racism is undeniable and indelible but what we hope can also endure is the potential of Dahl's creative legacy to do some good," it said on its website. The museum said it was "committed to being more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable in all aspects of our work," revealing steps it had been taking to achieve that.

They include "reflecting the visible diversity of our audiences in our marketing, by running accessible and inclusive recruitment campaigns for staff or trustee positions". It is also better training employees and engaging with several organisations within the Jewish community, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council.

The museum noted it chooses not to repeat Dahl's anti-Semitic statements publicly, but keeps a record of what he wrote in its collection, "so it is not forgotten". Dahl's comments have long cast a shadow over his personal legacy, which