The Holocaust is one of many historical events that have made a lasting impression on people worldwide. One of the new angles that has affected the Holocaust in the latter part of the 20th century is an argument that is appalling and outrageous. Some say the Holocaust is a myth, pieces of its identity such as gas chambers and body counts are called fabricated facts told by Germans who are afraid of public criticism or retaliating Jews. It may be hard to believe that people would believe this, but one only has to look at the millions who followed Hitler’s dictatorship, no matter how evil or wrong. However, to understand and combat Holocaust denial, one must make a clear distinction between denial and revisionism.
One of the more insidious and dangerous aspects of contemporary Holocaust denial, from people such as Arthur Butz, Fred Leuchter, and David Irving, is the fact that they attempt to present their work as reputable scholars under the guise of “historical revisionism.” The term “revisionist” pervades their publications as showing their motives, orientation, and methodology. However, in fact, Holocaust denial is in no sense “revisionism”, it is refusal look at the facts and truth of the event.
Historical revisionism is a perfectly legitimate, respectable and necessary approach to historical analysis. Each new generation brings about new information, new facts and new methods not available in the past. For example, contemporary historians, armed with new documentary, archaeological and anthropological data, are in a much better position to assess the slavery era in the American south, than were historians writing during that time. Historical revisionism attempts to enhance and extend our understanding of history through continual re-interpretation of existing historical data.
Holocaust deniers have used the term “revisionism” as an attempt to make themselves appear respectable and legitimate. The dimensions and characteristics of Holocaust denial are covered indepth at The Nizkor Project. This website was extremely helpful in my research of the three deniers I describe in detail on this page.
-Nazi Camps in Occupied Europe 1939-1945
Holocaust Deniers:
Arthur R. Butz
David Irving
Fred Leuchter
When researching this report, the growing opinions and resources available by scientists and supposed experts were overwhelming. As a person who cannot deny something like the Holocaust, I was not convinced by the desperate attempts to put blame elsewhere. However, I have to admit the compiled evidence against the Holocaust’s written accounts and photos were often full of doubt: forcing me to think in a broader sense. Unfortunately for them, the evidence of the deniers was conditional and circumstantial: made to fit what they wanted to believe. Mainly, the reason Holocaust denial is so wrong is because denial is a tool for people who want to misplace blame. They don’t understand that if they deny its reality, the chances of it happening again are much greater. Or, more likely, they just don’t care. If children are never properly educated about an event such as this, then they, as our future, are at risk of repeating similar events. If one teaches a child to deny something that they don’t want to believe ever happened, than that will test their moral values concerning the taking of responsibility for one’s own actions.
Perhaps the best point made in all my reading was in the book written by Deborah Lipstadt,Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory, in which is stated: “Many students read both the ad and the editorials condemning it (Holocaust denial). Some, including those who read neither but knew of the issue, may have walked away from the controversy convinced that there are two sides to the debate: the “revisionists” and the “established historians.” They may not be convinced that the two sides have equal validity. They may even know that the deniers keep questionable company. But nonetheless, they assume there is an ‘other side’. That is the most frightening aspect of this entire matter.” I think that is so true: that the very fact that there is, to some people, another side is the real threat. Something like the Holocaust should never be questioned, because it somehow lessens the validity and the severity of the event. The Holocaust should always be remembered for exactly what it was: “holocaust”- a large-scale sacrifice or destruction of life, especially by fire.
Check out these sites:
The Nizkor Project
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Holocaust Picture Exhibition
A Cybrary of the Holocaust
is owned by
Adelei Warachowski
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