General Chat

.

British historian David Irving has been found guilty in Vienna of denying the Holocaust of European Jewry and sentenced to three years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to the charge, based on a speech and interview he gave in Austria in 1989. 'I made a mistake when I said there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz,' he told the court in the Austrian capital. Irving appeared stunned by the sentence, and told reporters: 'I'm very shocked and I'm going to appeal.'

Im Glad hes been locked up!anyone who denies that this happened is just plain stupid!!

I just dont understand how anyone can deny it, foolish man gets everything he deserves

How could he deny the truth, it was all shown on film and that cant be a lie can it ? I remember crying when I saw the troops going into Belsen and the other camps ( sorry cant spell the names ) and saw the mass graves,and the state of the living skeletons still alive. Maddy (Still saddened by it all )

Some mistake, to deny all the documented evidence? Since the remains of the gas chambers and the barbarity of the camps was discovered by both British/American and Soviet forces it can hardly be said to be a figment of someone's imagination. I have just finished reading 'The Devil's Disciples' by Anthony Read, which is about Hitler's colleagues - Goering, Goebbels, Borman, Hess, Speer & Himmler. Some of the written records they kept, or reported conversations they had, made my blood run cold, though of course I knew what evil they had done. nell

As has already been said, I don't know how anyone can deny something that is proven historical fact. Crass stupidity, athough I don't think the man deserves prison, I would have thought the public humiliation would have been enough.

My son went to Auschwitz last year, he said it really became real when he saw the room of shoes, all sizes piled in to a mountain of despair. He is a big strong lad who laughs easier than cries, but he shed a tear.

serves him right!!

Err, sent to prison for not believing in something? Surely you can believe what you wish. However silly. Bob

This man is surpose to be educated!! And to try and deny something that is 100% proven is stupidity! You can believe what you like, if its not proven!!

I agree he was stupid to say that but surely there must be more to it to warrant a prison sentence? No free speech there then. Ann glos

Personaly I think he is very stupid to believe that the holocaust did not occur, but to get three years. Does that mean that anyone who believes the Bible litrally and not in the theory of evolution(or visa versa) should be jailed as well. Spud

It is a crime in several countries to deny the truth of the holocaust.

He was convicted in Austria, where Holocaust Denial is a criminal offence. It's quite a touchy subject there and in Germany, understandably, and the laws are there to make sure the Nazis don't rise to power again. In fact, most countries where Jews were rounded up and killed have criminalized denial, partly because anti-Semitism and Neo-Nazism never really went away and are on the increase. Irving would be free if he had stuck to spouting rubbish in this country. He knew Holocaust Denial was a crime in Austria but he went ahead with his lecture. It's not that harsh a sentence considering what he could have got (a decade or more). Funny how he has had a sudden change of heart after oozing Hitler-glorification for twenty years.

Perhaps a more suitable punishment would be for him to visit some of the concentration/extermination camp sites and hear testimony from the survivors - and from the ex-guards. nell

Didn't we defeat Hitler to protect freedoms like freedom of speech and expression? How can anyone believe this is right? If I wish to think the earth is flat am I to be locked up? Only accepting views that agree with yours and punishing dissent is the exact OPPOSITE of freedom. It's all the more embarrassing when the west is standing up for free expression regarding the Islamic cartoons. Is it okay to upset muslims and not Jews? Bob

Sorry as this will probably bring this thread to an end. But was it ok for the 1st real holocaust then? Smyrna 13/9/1922 When Bristish, Russian & American ships had to stand by and watch people being slaughtered, burnt and drowned? Because those goverments said 'Don't interviene' due to 'Ethnic cleansing'???? Who was punished for that??? KIm

He has been jailed for having a different viewpoint? Even though now he admits it was misguided. I think countries like Austria have these laws to try to ease their conscience from the second world war! Dave

I will leave it at that. History can mean something to some and another to others. Holocaust's obviously mean different years to different people. Kim