The Apprentice TV show contestant sorry for selling Nazi war items online
Gregory Ebbs apologetic after Jewish groups say he sold a German army officer's pre-war dagger showing a carved swastika
A retailer vying to become the next winner of TV’s The Apprentice has had to say sorry after he was shown to be stocking Nazi memorabilia.
Gregory Ebbs, an online antiques dealer hoping to be Lord Sugar’s next Apprentice, was found to have sold a £725 dagger emblazoned with a swastika.
Sugar, who is Jewish, last year spoke about how he had been left “shaken up” after receiving threatening antisemitic letters. He is a major donor to the charity Jewish Care, which runs the UK’s foremost Holocaust survivors’ centre.
Ebbs was forced to apologise after Jewish groups including the Board of Deputies and the Campaign Against Antisemitism picked up his merchandise, accusing him of “facilitating the sale of artefacts synonymous with death to sick collectors”.
The pre-war dagger, which was listed by a third party as having belonged to a German army officer, was listed for sale on the website of Ebbs, who is also a Liberal Democrat councillor.
“I in no way condone or wish to be looking to be celebrating this abhorrent and shameful part of history and I apologise for any offence caused,” said Ebbs.
“My online business is an antique marketplace where independent sellers have a platform to sell a wide range of antiques, memorabilia and militaria from many different periods of history. The item in question was sold by a third-party vendor.
“This type of memorabilia is not something I would personally sell or stock. The website is relatively new and I will be looking to implement stricter vetting procedures for third-party vendors.”
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