Former Lundsberg boarding school student describes secret hierarchy and punishments

A former student at Sweden’s elite Lundsberg boarding school has revealed a hidden system of hierarchy, punishments, and ritualised wrestling known as “tarmbrottning” (“gut wrestling”), where younger students are forced to obey older ones, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reports.

The student, who spoke anonymously to SVT’s Dokument inifrån (“Document from Within”), described an unofficial points system that grants senior students authority over younger pupils, referred to as “tarmar” (“guts”). The first week at the school is called “snälla veckan” (“kind week”), after which stricter, unwritten rules take over.

“The third-years took us to the top floor. They said we weren’t allowed to tell anyone. They tried to scare us a bit,” the student said. “All new first-years and ninth-graders are guts. The third-years decide.”

Another former student, Iwo Dölling, who graduated over 50 years ago, recalled physical punishments with a steel foil—three strikes for reading after lights-out. While the foil is no longer in use, a belt nicknamed the “Porsche belt” has reportedly been used for similar discipline.

The student also described “tarmbrottning,” where younger pupils are forced to wrestle while older students watch, and a culture of silence: “You weren’t allowed to tell anyone, not even your parents.”

Older student surveys obtained by SVT show younger pupils wanted to abolish the points system and peer discipline, while older students defended the traditions they had endured.

Lundsberg’s head of operations, Lars Jonsson, told SVT he was unaware of “tarmbrottning” and called it “terrible.” He acknowledged the school is working to strengthen safety routines and clarify responsibilities, adding: “No student should have to be whipped.”

The revelations come ahead of SVT’s documentary Arvtagarna (“The Heirs”), airing May 20, which examines the school’s culture.