SMITH’S REPORT On the Holocaust Controversy No. 159 www.Codoh.com March 2009 See Back Issues at: www.smithsreport.com Challenging the Holocaust Taboo Since 1990 The Case of Bishop Williamson By Richard A. Widmann n January 24th of this year that one of the four bishops, Rich- Williamson further explained, “I O news of Pope Benedict ard Williamson, had given an in- believe that the historical evidence XVI lifting a ban of excommunica- terview with Swedish television in is hugely against 6 million Jews tion on four Bishops from the So- which he questioned the orthodox having been deliberately gassed in ciety of St. Pius X was of little in- Holocaust story. Williamson says gas chambers as a deliberate policy terest outside of certain segments in the interview, which is posted of Adolf Hitler. I believe there of the Catholic Church. The Bish- on YouTube, “It is my understand- were no gas chambers." ops were ordained by Marcel Le- ing that according to the best sci- Jewish groups were quick to febvre in 1988 without the author- entific express their outrage. The usual ity of the Catholic Church, ulti- suspects had statements published mately resulting in the excommu- throughout the press and the inter- nication by John Paul II. net with a concentrated effort to The official decree issued on pressure the Vatican to change its January 21st read in part, “On be- mind on the excommunication or half of the faculties expressly at minimum to distance itself from granted by the Holy Father Bene- Williamson. Rabbi David Rosen dict XVI, in virtue of the current of the American Jewish Committee decree, I lift the censure of ex- called the lifting of excommunica- communication latae sententiae to tion “shameful.” Rabbi Marvin Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Cen- Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Wil- ter in Los Angeles called the action liamson and Alfonso de Galarreta an "astounding departure." Anti- declared by this Congregation on Defamation League spokesman July 1, 1988, while I declare null Abraham Foxman bellowed, "Giv- of juridical consequences, as of en the centuries-old history of anti- today, the decree released in the Bishop Williamson Semitism in the church, this is a past.” most troubling setback." Almost immediately this act of estimates, 200,000 to 300,000 Initially the Vatican stood reconciliation within the Catholic Jews died in National Socialist strong. Israel's chief rabbinate Church became an international concentration camps, but none of then severed ties with the Vatican. news sensation as it was revealed them in homicidal gas chambers.” Israel’s highest religious authority sent a letter to the Pope expressing the war, on loose pages where the I have one comment on Tho- "sorrow and pain" at the papal adding of text might not have been mas Kues' interesting comparison Continued on page 2 difficult. Should not Weber have of the Rudolf Vrba and Alfred told us that the source he is citing Wetzler books (SR no. 158). The as a reference rejected the view he Wetzler book was translated into, LETTERS is propounding? Other diary quotes and published in, German in 1967 from Goebbels which Stäglich was (J. Lánik, "Was Dante nicht sah", NICK KOLLERSTROM more inclined to view as genuine Die Buchgemeinde, Vienna) and (not quoted by Weber) expressed could easily have been used in the I felt that the article you pub- the view the ‘Endlosung der Ju- first Zündel trial. One reason that lished by Mark Weber in your last denfrage,’ i.e. ‘final solution,’ was didn't happen was that the book issue was deeply corrupt. It cen- a then-ongoing process of export- was frankly published as a novel. tered on certain alleged quotes ing Jews eastwards. Why ask a witness if any of the from ‘Goebbels’ diary,’ concern- The originals of these diaries events described in his novel were ing the alleged German mass- are kept in Stanford University real? I haven't seen "Escape from extermination program of Jews. library, California. If Weber is Hell" (2007), but I can easily be- After Weber has accepted these, he holding a title, Director of a ‘His- lieve that the Wetzler book has finds that revisionist arguments are torical research’ institute, then been upgraded to a memoir. That mere ‘heartless quibbling.’ He puts should he not have bothered to was what happened to Thomas in a reference here to Wilhelm visit these, and check them out— Keneally's novel "Schindler's List". Stäglich, ‘Auschwitz: A Judge and scrutinize the entries deemed The Ministry of Truth moved fast Looks at the Evidence.’ Turning to by Stäglich to be fraudulent— when the movie came out. the relevant page we find that before citing them as his central I do not believe it is correct Stäglich does not accept the au- argument for dismissing the revi- that, as Fritz Berg writes, "Ger- thenticity of these diary pas- sionist enterprise? Historians are mar's journal will almost certainly sages—especially that of 27.3.42 people who like checking their be revived when Germar is re- which Weber quotes. Stäglich con- primary sources. leased". My information is that sulted an expert on this matter and Germar will not resume any of his also quoted his skeptical view; he ARTHUR BUTZ former publishing activities. Do also related the fishy way in which not expect a white knight! these diary pages turned up after The Case of Bishop Williamson, continued from page one decision. Finally, under what truly forts to outdo each other in de- and unquestionable solidarity amounted to the pressure of inter- nouncing Williamson. By the end with our brothers receivers of national Jewry, the Vatican began of the week, the Catholic leader- the First Covenant, I hope to distance itself from Williamson. ship in the German city of Regens- that the memory of the Shoah It issued a statement calling Wil- burg banned Williamson from en- leads mankind to reflect on liamson’s comments “unaccept- tering its churches. Gerhard Lud- the unpredictable power of able.” In a front-page article, the wig Mueller, the Catholic bishop evil when it conquers the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore of Regensburg, said that William- heart of man. May the Shoah Romano stressed that Pope Bene- son would not be allowed to set be for all a warning against dict XVI deplored all forms of an- foot in his cathedral or on any oth- forgetfulness, against denial ti-Semitism and that all Roman er church property. Next, even the or reductionism, because the Catholics must do the same. The Society of St. Pius X publicly dis- violence against a single hu- Vatican also emphasized that re- sociated itself from Williamson. man being is violence against moving Williamson’s excommuni- Less than a week into the fire- all. No man is an island, a cation by no means implied that storm, the Pope was forced to issue famous poet wrote. The Shoah the Vatican shared Williamson's a statement on January 28th: particularly teaches, both the views. old and the new generations, With this crack in the founda- “While I renew with affec- that only the tiresome path of tion, various Catholics began ef- tion the expression of my full listening and dialogue, of love 2 and of forgiveness leads the hatred," a crime in Germany, pun- dence, I will correct myself. peoples, the cultures, and the ishable by up to five years in But that will take time.” religions of the world to the prison. The pressure has failed to ab- hoped-for goal of fraternity Israel too would continue to ate. Williamson has been con- and peace in truth. May vio- exert its influence. The Ministry demned along with the Pope’s de- lence never again crush the of Foreign Affairs issued a cision by Holocaust survivors, lib- dignity of man!” statement saying, "The rein- eral Catholics, U.S. legislators, statement of a Holocaust denier Israeli leaders, German Chancellor Under pressure to relieve the by the Holy See offends every Angela Merkel, and Jewish writer pressure from the various Jewish Jew, in Israel and around the and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wie- groups, Williamson was forced to world, and humiliates the mem- sel. make a statement. His statement ory of all Holocaust victims and Legal charges have now been however fell significantly short of survivors." made against Williamson in Ar- the full recantation that Jewish Enough was enough. By Feb- gentina. Argentinean officials groups demanded. Essentially the ruary 4th, the Vatican ordered said, “We are going to make a statement was an apology to the Williamson to "distance himself" formal legal complaint and he may pontiff for having caused "distress from his views "in an absolutely face up to three years in prison.” and problems" through his revi- unequivocal and public manner." The story of Holocaust revi- sionist views on the Holocaust. Williamson however still refused sionism’s latest martyr has not Williamson noted that his remarks to recant. In an interview with played out fully. Chester Himes, were “imprudent.” Der Spiegel, Williamson said, an African American author who The mob essentially went wild. was no stranger to controversy, Fifty Catholic members of the “Throughout my life, I once wrote, “Martyrs are needed to United States Congress wrote to have always sought the truth. create incidents. Incidents are Benedict to express their "deep That is why I converted to Ca- needed to create revolutions. concerns." They wrote, "We do not tholicism and became a priest. Revolutions are needed to create question your reasons for revoking And now I can only say some- progress.” The progress of Holo- the excommunication of Bishop thing, the truth of which I am caust revisionism—that is, getting Williamson or your right to do so, convinced.