A group of eight Holocaust survivors drew parallels between the current political climate and that of Germany in the 1930s. Some of them condemned the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD).

Eight Holocaust survivors have urged young people to shun far-right parties and vote to protect democracy at the upcoming European Union elections.

“For millions of you, the European elections are the first election in your lives. For many of us, it could be the last,” read the open letter, unveiled in Berlin on Tuesday.

“We couldn’t stop it back then. But you can today,” the eight authors wrote.