British media baron Richard Desmond has been accused of calling giant German publishing house Axel Springer "Nazis" in a foul-mouthed boardroom bust-up with the Daily Telegraphnewspaper.
"I don't think there was a swear word in the language that wasn't used at some stage," said Daily Telegraphboss Jeremy Deedes after the tabloid maverick's tirade.
Executives of Mr Desmond's Daily Express- which announced its support for the Conservative party this week - were reported to have given Nazi salutes and to have made their fingers into Hitler moustaches.
Mr Deedes, fearing they could come to blows, said that at one stage "there was a suggestion from Mr Desmond that he and I should step outside."
Axel Springer is one of the bidders for Hollinger International's Telegraphnewspapers, according to sources familiar with the situation. Mr Desmond dropped out of the bidding last month.
Mr Desmond, who is of Jewish descent, sold off his controversial stable of pornographic magazines earlier this year as he launched his Telegraphbid.
Neither he nor any spokesman for the Daily Expresswas available for comment.
Mr Desmond, a polarising figure in the media world, has been labelled a pornographer for titles such as Asian Babesand Readers' Wivesand has been criticised for making donations to the Labour Party when his purchase of the Expresswas under review.