NY Post: Elite Chicago middle school embroiled in Nazi-music controversy for second time
The ritzy Latin School of Chicago is being plagued by another antisemitism controversy, this time involving middle schoolers learning a marching song synonymous with the Nazis, The Post has learned.
Students at the Windy City private school had been practicing the song “Erika,” a German marching song widely associated with Hitler’s Third Reich during WWII, a letter from the school to parents revealed. The elite institution is where Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sent his children, and middle school families pay over $47,000 in tuition.
A teacher overheard two students discussing practicing the taboo tune, leading the institution to launch an internal probe, the letter read.
Members of the middle school band shockingly belted out the same song in November 2024. The incident was a horrific blow to Jewish families who felt Latin’s notoriously toxic environment threatened their kids’ well-being. The punishment faced by those band members is unknown.
Originally published in 1938, the song’s lyrics do not explicitly reference Nazism. However, its rhythm resembles military marching music associated with Hitler and lent itself to use during WWII.
“Latin does not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate. In addition to undertaking disciplinary action, Latin has and will continue to offer support to any students affected by this incident,” the letter from Head of School Thomas Hagerman and Interim MS Division Director Kathleen Meade read.
The statement read, “Although we are deeply disappointed by this incident, we hope that it serves as an important reminder of our shared responsibility to continue nurturing our School’s strong sense of inclusion and belonging, and to ensure that every member of our community feels safe, valued, and respected.”
Officials had not immediately clarified whether they doled out punishment.
In 2022, the parents of Nate Bronstein, 15, filed a $100 million lawsuit against the school. They alleged that classmates bullied him so severely that he committed suicide. The court later tossed six of the counts in March 2025, but four of the counts are still pending.
Latin School of Chicago boasts some notable alumni, including Nancy Reagan and chewing gum heir William Wrigley Jr. II.
The school did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.