Holocaust denial
| Part of a series on |
| Antisemitism |
|---|
|
| Category |
Holocaust denial is the negationist and antisemitic claim that Nazi Germany and its collaborators did not commit genocide against European Jews during World War II, ignoring overwhelming historical evidence to the contrary. Theories[1][2] assert that the genocide of Jews is a fabrication or exaggeration.[3][4][5] Holocaust denial includes making one or more of the following false claims:[6][7][8] that Nazi Germany's "Final Solution" was aimed only at deporting Jews from the territory of the Third Reich and did not include their extermination; that Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas chambers for the mass murder of Jews; that the actual number of Jews murdered is significantly lower than the accepted figure of approximately six million; and that the Holocaust is a hoax perpetrated by the Allies, Jews, or the Soviet Union.[4][9]
Holocaust denial has roots in postwar Europe, beginning with writers such as Maurice Bardèche and Paul Rassinier. In the United States, the Institute for Historical Review gave Holocaust denial a pseudo-scholarly platform and helped spread it globally.[10] In the Islamic world, Holocaust denial has been used to delegitimize Israel; deniers portray the Holocaust as a fabrication to justify the creation of a Jewish state.[10] Iran is the leading state sponsor, embedding Holocaust denial into its official ideology through state-backed conferences and cartoon contests.[10] In former Eastern Bloc countries, deniers do not deny the mass murder of Jews but deny the participation of their own nationals.[11]
The methodologies of Holocaust deniers are based on a predetermined conclusion that ignores historical evidence.[12] Scholars use the term denial to describe the views and methodology of Holocaust deniers in order to distinguish them from legitimate historical revisionists, who challenge orthodox interpretations of history using established historical methodologies.[13] Holocaust deniers generally do not accept denial as an appropriate description of their activities and use the euphemism revisionism instead.[14] Holocaust denial is considered a serious societal problem in many places where it occurs. It is illegal in Canada, Israel, and many European countries, including Germany itself. In 2007 and 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolutions condemning Holocaust denial.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
antisemiticwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
conspiracywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Coady, David (2019). "Conspiracy Theories and Official Stories *". Conspiracy Theories: The Philosophical Debate. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-25957-4.
Holocaust denial is one, unfortunately widespread, example of a conspiracy theory.
- ^ a b "Holocaust Deniers and Public Misinformation". encyclopedia.ushmm.org. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
definitionwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
often claimswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Key elementswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Assertionswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
hoaxwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Weitzman, Mark; Williams, Robert J.; Wald, James (2024). The Routledge history of antisemitism. The Routledge histories. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. pp. 373–376. ISBN 978-0-429-76751-7.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
post-Sovietwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
predeterminedwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
terminologywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Revisionistwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).