Denying the Holocaust

Last week I called “anti-semitism” the most successful social movement in history because it succeeded in its aim: killing 6 million Jews and more (if possible).

Another aspect of this social movement is the denial of the Holocaust, which is now given pseudo-scientific labels in an effort to convince the world that the slaughter never happened. The Arab world, totally devoted to conspiracy theories of all kinds, has always denied the Holocaust even as they deny the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the murders in Pennsylvania which they conducted here.

There are also a number of Holocaust deniers who are not Arabs. The Nation of Islam, an American group headed by Louis Farrakhan, also denies the Holocaust. This is also true of the Communist party, which distributes its ant-Jewish hate sheet, Buffalo Forum, on the campuses of all colleges in this city. Similar hate material is distributed by the Communists all over the country. The current issue, dated September 11, attacks Jews, i.e., Israel by pretending that Israel is responsible for the bloodshed in the Israelis' own country. A. R. Fat is highly praised, the terrorists are converted into “victims” and the Israeli leadership is branded “war criminals”. This kind of hate has been a part of the Communist doctrine since the ex-Jew Karl Marx (1818-1893) first wrote his anti-Jewish diatribes in the 18th century. The Nazi propagandists actually displayed anti-Jewish statements by Marx on banners strung across the main streets of German cities.

Now, the most notorious among the Holocaust deniers is David Irving, a British historian. Irving is credited with having written some solid histories. He is best known for his book The Destruction of Dresden, which deals with the bombing of that German city and its total ruination. The material collected by Irving are indeed reliable. His interpretation, however, lacks any understanding of the fact that Dresden was bombed because the Germans caused the second World War and not because the allies sought only to damage Germany.

When it comes to the Holocaust, Irving lies in print. His so-called Goebbels Diaries and other misrepresentations led Deborah Lipstadt, an American historian, to publish her book Denying the Holocaust in which she demonstrates that Irving is a liar. This led Irving and friends to sue Lipstadt and her publisher because she showed in that book that Irving had falsified the evidence for the existence of the notorious gas ovens used by the Nazis to murder 11 million people.

Irving sued Lipstadt and her publisher in a British court on the grounds that his manuscripts would no longer be accepted by any publisher if Lipstadt’s accusations were allowed to stand. Irving lost. This is very important in view of the fact that there is a whole holocaust denying industry in Germany and in California who call themselves The Institute for Historical Review.

This so-called institute claims to have scientific evidence that the gas ovens never existed; that Hitler knew nothing about the few Jews killed in the course of the war; etc. and above all that Jews invented the holocaust story in order to collect money for “Zionist actvities.” Many of the members of the IHR have academic degrees and publish their venom in such books as The Zionist Factor; The Hoax of the 20^th Century; The Zionist Terror Network; A Study of Hate Crime Hoaxes and Auschwitz-The End of a Legend. All of these books are heavily documented with footnotes, etc. Yet, these documents are also produced by the hate mongers who write these books and who devote themselves to a possible revival of Nazi rule. Some of the members of the editorial board of the IRH are European history professors who are willing to use their credentials for the purpose of defaming the Jewish people and the victims of their Nazi friends.

The Institute for Historical Review has occasional conventions which allow Nazis to hold speeches denouncing Jews. There speakers are applauded for denying the Holocaust and for such statements as this: “If in the end the holocaust did take place, then so much the better.”

Even now, in 2002, the IHR publishes a journal and pamphlets devoted to anti-Jewish hate which include the usual complaints that “A Powerful Jewish Lobby” is controlling the policies of the U.S. government in supporting Israel. The long time Nazi Arthur Butz, a professor of engineering at Northwestern University, writes in the pages of this “journal” incessantly, quoting all kinds of anti-Jewish propaganda by United Nations hate mongers and other would be Jew killers. Even Jewish historians are quoted by taking partial statements out of context and making them look like criticism of the Jewish people.

These books and journals appear legitimate to naïve college students and others who cannot tell the difference between real science which seeks the evidence no matter where the search may lead, and the Institute for Historical Review which concludes in advance that anything and anyone Jewish is to be demeaned and then invents “facts” to support its ideology.

The Holocaust deniers have few followers. Normally, their poison has little effect. Nevertheless, some librarians allow this trash into their libraries, not recognizing the difference between history and hate propaganda. Some students read this and believe it. Therefore, we, the Jewish community, must always be alert to this poison and continue to tell the truth about the Holocaust, about Israel and about Zionism and above all be proud to be Jews and to say and proclaim at all occasions: Anochi Ivri, I am a Jew.

The Torah teaches: “Mevorchecho Boruch, v’aurecho orur – blessed be those who bless you (Israel) and cursed be everyone who curses you”. (Bamidbor or Numbers-Balak 24:9).

Shalom u’vracha.

Dr. Gerhard Falk is the author of numerous publications, including Grandparents: A New Look at the Supporting Generation (with Dr. Ursula A., Falk, 2002), & Man's Ascent to Reason (2002).

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