The Nizkor Project: Remembering the Holocaust (Shoah)

Shofar FTP Archive File: people/w/wiesenthal.simon/bb-letter-197504


The below is a letter to the editor from Simon Wiesenthal to
"Books and Bookmen," April 1975, Vol. 20, No. 7, p. 5.


In reply to Colin Wilson's letter (b&b Feb on The Myth of the Six
Million), it is no myth, it is rather sad that thirty years after the
fall of the Third Reich there are still doubts as to the enormity of
Nazi-Crimes.

Hundreds of trials have taken place against persons who helped to
clean Europe and the world of human vermin.  No SS-man accused of
these deeds in court has yet denied the existence of Gas-Chambers and
their usage.  His usual defence was--he had to obey orders.

The Commandant of Treblinka, Franz Stangl, admitted at his trial in
1968 in Dusseldorf, that they had gassed eighteen thousand people a
day.  The accusation was that he was responsible for the death of four
hundred thousand people.  But during the proceedings a German
Scientist proved that the real figure was nearer nine hundred
thousand.  I'm quoting this case in particular because all the facts
are today completely documented. Anybody who has doubts is welcome to
look into it.  The other two extermination camps were Sobibor and
Belzec.  In these camps they killed two million Jews.

The Commandant of Auschwitz, Hoess, declared in court, that between
three to four million people were exterminated in his camp.  We know
today that in all eleven million people, not all Jews, of the civilian
population were murdered by the Nazis in occupied countries, mainly in
Eastern Europe. Scientific researchers and historians in various
countries reached the firm conclusion, based on German documents, that
the figure of exterminated Jews was between five million eight hundred
thousand and six million two hundred thousand.  They agree to a round
figure of six million.

Eichmann in his trial spoke of five million and yet he was only
responsible for part of the extermination of the Jews.  The dead of
the 'Einsatzgruppen' in the East and the dead of Gas-Lorries were not
part of Eichmann's programme.

Because there were no extermination camps on German soil the Neo-Nazis
are using this as proof that these crimes did not happen and
furthermore exhibit witnesses from German Labour-Camps who have never
seen mass-extermination.

For political reasons the Neo-Nazis try to diminish the blame of
Germans towards Jews. This has been taken very lightly by Historians
and by Jews alike, which is wrong.  The circulation of the
Neo-Nazi-istic writings with their malicious and ridiculous arguments
connot be prevented.  They find sometimes an echo in some countries. 
Goebbels always recommended--repeat a lie often enough and people will
come to believe it.

They also declared that the Diary of Anna Frank was an invention until
one day I succeeded in finding the policeman in Holland who had Anna
Frank arrested.  Today the Neo-Nazis have no more to say about the
subject of Anna Frank.

We would be glad if the Myth of the six million was a myth. 
Unfortunately it is not, it is a tragic reality.

Simon Wiesenthal
Vienna

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