Why do people still deny the Holocaust ever happened

[Rimmer]

 

Why do people still deny the Holocaust ever happened despite overwhelming documented evidence to support it?

 

I am thinking of documented evidence such as:

Survivor Testimonies: Firsthand accounts from millions of survivors.

Nazi Documents: Extensive records kept by the Nazis themselves, including orders, reports, and photographs.

Eyewitness Testimonies: Accounts from Allied soldiers, journalists, and others who liberated concentration camps.

Physical Evidence: The remains of concentration camps, gas chambers, and mass graves.

Trials: Legal proceedings like the Nuremberg Trials documented and validated the Holocaust through meticulous examination of evidence.

 

Could it be any or all of the following?

Anti-Semitism: motivated by deep-seated anti-Semitic beliefs. Denying the Holocaust is a way to delegitimize Jewish suffering and undermine Jewish communities.

Far-right extremism: Holocaust denial is often linked to neo-Nazi or other far-right ideologies that glorify Hitler and seek to rewrite history to fit their agenda.

 

Conspiracy

Deniers often rely on conspiracy theories, claiming the Holocaust was fabricated or exaggerated by Jews or other groups to gain sympathy or political power,   leading many to dismiss even well-documented events as "propaganda."

Deniers often claim that the Holocaust did not occur and that there was no systematic attempt by the Nazis to exterminate the Jewish people.

 

Ignorance and Lack of Education

Some deniers may simply lack education about the Holocaust or have been exposed to other distorted versions of history.

 

Exaggeration of Numbers

Argue that the number of Jewish deaths has been greatly exaggerated and that the actual number was much smaller.

 

Gas Chambers Denial

Some claim that the gas chambers at extermination camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau were not used for mass murder, suggesting instead that they were merely used for delousing or other non-lethal purposes.

 

Fabrication and Forgery Theories

Deniers allege that evidence of the Holocaust, including survivor testimonies, Nazi documents, and photographs, were fabricated or forged as part of a conspiracy to promote Jewish interests.

 

Misinterpretation of Intent

Some argue that the Nazis did not intend to exterminate the Jews, but rather to deport them, and that the deaths were simply the result of disease, starvation, or other wartime conditions.

 

Challenging Survivor Testimonies

Deniers often claim that survivor accounts are unreliable or exaggerated, questioning the credibility and motives of those who provide firsthand testimony of the events.

 

It happened and if we forget it happened we are at risk of it happening again.

 

[CharlieH]

On this day of remembrance, let us renew our pledge to never forget. Let us commit ourselves to honouring the memory of the victims by standing firm against all forms of hate and intolerance, by teaching the truths of the Holocaust, and by fostering a world in which respect, dignity, and love are upheld.

The lessons of the Holocaust must never be allowed to fade into the past—they are a call to action for us all.

[Bkk Brian]

One of the scum who still does deny it:

 

The best known Holocaust denier in the UK is David Irving.

Despite not being trained as a historian, he has written numerous books about the history of the Second World War in which he expresses his pro-Nazi sympathies. He denies that the nazi Germans murdered Jews in gas chambers, maintains close ties with the IHR, and testified in Zundel’s defense. He has been fined in Germany for publicly denying the Holocaust and sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment in Austria.

https://www.auschwitz.org/en/history/holocaust-denial/deniers-in-different-countries/

[Cory1848]

All of the above. I’ve generally encountered this as a combination of antisemitism (irrational hatred of Jewish people) and a penchant for conspiracy theories (Jewish people systematically invented or exaggerated the Holocaust to gain political advantage).

 

One of my favorites was a fellow who resorted to semantic trickery, saying that those Jews who died (not as many as history claims of course) were “killed” and not “murdered” during the war, turning it into a fog-of-war scenario. He was quite proud of himself at this neat solution that absolved the Nazis of any major wrongdoing. The Turks used (and often still use) a similar strategy in responding to the fact of their wholesale massacre of Armenians toward the end of the First World War.

[fredwiggy]

White supremacists will use any means to downplay or deny their actions. Especially ones where murder are involved. Free speech is allowed and they get recruits this way because some people were never taught respect for all races and nationalities as a child, and they bring in those who are weak and seeking attention or already have hatred in their hearts for other races.

[Ralf001]

When was the holocaust ?

[fredwiggy]

9 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

When was the holocaust ?

1933 to 1945

[Sandboxer]

I really don't like to talk about this time in history. My grandfather died in Ausschwitz (fell off the watch tower).

 

Now I participate in weekly alcoholocausts in his memory.

 

Interestingly, isn't the prefix "holo" a word that denotes something that's not real? Hologram.....etc.

[KhunLA]

31 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

When was the holocaust ?

Which one 

 

To the implied topic ... hard to deny, though not sure I believe the numbers (6M) constantly repeated.  Or the need for the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly reminder.  Doubt if I can comment any further.

[CharlieH]

 

 

[Skeptic7]

Gullible fools deny everything...science, facts, evidence, ancient history...so why not recent history❓And once most of them slip down that rabbit hole...they just can't meet a crazy idea pulled from some idiots backside that they don't love. It's really weird. 

[Nick Carter icp]

24 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Which one 

 

To the implied topic ... hard to deny, though not sure I believe the numbers (6M) constantly repeated.  Or the need for the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly reminder.  Doubt if I can comment any further.

 

    There was only one Holocaust . 

[Henk Langeweg]

9 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    There was only one Holocaust . 

Time for you or too late maybe, to read something else then AN.

[Nick Carter icp]

12 minutes ago, Henk Langeweg said:

Time for you or too late maybe, to read something else then AN.

 

   I didn't read that info on A.N .

So, your advice makes no sense 

[KhunLA]

49 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    There was only one Holocaust . 

Holocaust - genocide - massacre mass deaths at hands of humans

Vahz - vase 

 

All the same.  As I stated, can't comment further.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Holocaust - genocide - mass deaths

Vahz - vase 

 

All the same.  As I stated, can't comment further.

 

  Holocaust refers to the Holocaust in question .

Some Holocaust denies attempt to lessen the severity of the Holocaust by claiming they are regular occurrences , "Just another thing" "Happens all the time" , kind of thing 

[Kinok Farang]

21 hours ago, CharlieH said:

On this day of remembrance, let us renew our pledge to never forget. Let us commit ourselves to honouring the memory of the victims by standing firm against all forms of hate and intolerance, by teaching the truths of the Holocaust, and by fostering a world in which respect, dignity, and love are upheld.

The lessons of the Holocaust must never be allowed to fade into the past—they are a call to action for us all.

Try giving that commendable speech in a Mosque.

[KhunLA]

30 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Holocaust refers to the Holocaust in question .

Some Holocaust denies attempt to lessen the severity of the Holocaust by claiming they are regular occurrences , "Just another thing" "Happens all the time" , kind of thing 

That's a bit short sighted ...

 

"The word 'holocaust' comes from ancient Greek and means 'burnt offering'   Long before the Jews took it for themselves.

 

Yes, holocaust / genocides seem to happen fairly regular ...

... Darfur

... Rwanda

... Bosnia and Herzegovina

... Cambodia

... Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution

... Nanking

... Holodomor

... Armenian (Ottoman)

... Herero (Namibia)

... Native Americans

... Transatlantic Slave Trade

 

[damian]

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

That's a bit short sighted ...

 

"The word 'holocaust' comes from ancient Greek and means 'burnt offering'   Long before the Jews took it for themselves.

 

Yes, holocaust / genocides seem to happen fairly regular ...

... Darfur

... Rwanda

... Bosnia and Herzegovina

... Cambodia

... Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution

... Nanking

... Holodomor

... Armenian (Ottoman)

... Herero (Namibia)

... Native Americans

... Transatlantic Slave Trade

 

For someone who 'can't comment further' your doing a good job of commenting. 

 

While I get where you're coming from, it is clear the OP is discussing the holocaust of WWII. 

[CharlieH]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

That's a bit short sighted ...

 

"The word 'holocaust' comes from ancient Greek and means 'burnt offering'   Long before the Jews took it for themselves.

 

Yes, holocaust / genocides seem to happen fairly regular ...

... Darfur

... Rwanda

... Bosnia and Herzegovina

... Cambodia

... Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution

... Nanking

... Holodomor

... Armenian (Ottoman)

... Herero (Nambia)

... Native Americans

... Transatlantic Slave Trade

 

When comparing these events to the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany during World War II, several differences and similarities emerge, particularly regarding intent, scale, methods, and historical context.

 

Scale and Numbers

 The Holocaust resulted in the systematic murder of approximately six million Jews, alongside millions of others, including Romani people, Poles, Soviet POWs, disabled individuals, and various other groups. It is one of the most prominent and well-documented genocides in history.

 

Intent and Ideology

The Holocaust was driven by a specific and well-documented ideology of racial purity and anti-Semitism. It was characterized by the industrialization of murder, employing mechanisms like gas chambers and concentration camps designed explicitly for mass extermination.

 

Systematic Approach

The Nazis implemented a highly organized, bureaucratic system for identifying, transporting, and exterminating Jews and other targeted groups. This systematic approach, involving extensive records and coordination across Nazi-occupied Europe, distinguishes the Holocaust in its execution.

 

Historical Context

Occurring during World War II, the Holocaust was facilitated by the resources and reach the Nazi regime had at its disposal during the conflict. This wartime environment both concealed and enabled the logistics behind the genocide.

 

Comparative aspects of the other events listed:

 

1. Intent: While genocides like those in Rwanda, Armenia, and Cambodia were driven by targeted hate or political ideology, some events like the Holodomor reflect complex interactions between policy failure and deliberate suppression, leading to massive loss of life.

 

2. Methods: Several genocides involved mass killings, forced relocations, and other brutal tactics. However, the systematic and industrial scale of the Holocaust, where the infrastructure was specifically designed for extermination, was unique.

 

3. Scale: While the numbers vary, genocides such as in Cambodia, Holodomor, and the Armenian Genocide each resulted in the death of over a million people. The scale of the Holocaust, however, remains one of the largest in sheer numbers within a relatively short period (1941-1945).

 

4. Recognition and Documentation: The Holocaust is one of the most thoroughly documented genocides, with extensive trials and historical research dedicated to its study. This has influenced both its perception in history and the collective memory of its impact.

 

So,while each event you listed is significant and tragic in its own right, the Nazi Holocaust stands out due to its scale, systematic execution, and the specific racial ideology driving it.

Each genocide or massacre has its own context and characteristics, shaping its legacy and impact on global history.

[OneMoreFarang]

Why are people stupid? They just are.

Why do people believe in one of those gods? See above.

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Which one 

 

 

 

More than 1 ?

[Nick Carter icp]

6 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

That's a bit short sighted ...

 

"The word 'holocaust' comes from ancient Greek and means 'burnt offering'   Long before the Jews took it for themselves.

 

Yes, holocaust / genocides seem to happen fairly regular ...

... Darfur

... Rwanda

... Bosnia and Herzegovina

... Cambodia

... Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution

... Nanking

... Holodomor

... Armenian (Ottoman)

... Herero (Namibia)

... Native Americans

... Transatlantic Slave Trade

 

 

   I do know what the word means .

Clever that way you added the word Genocide to Holocaust and then gave examples of some other genocides .

   *Holocausts /Boxing happens all the time, 

Mike Tyson 

Cassius Clay 

Henry Cooper

The list of Holocausts /Boxing is quite long*

 

   Clever, but  no subtle enough to go unnoticed 

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, damian said:

For someone who 'can't comment further' your doing a good job of commenting. 

 

While I get where you're coming from, it is clear the OP is discussing the holocaust of WWII. 

Simply corrected a reply to me, not the topic itself.   To comment on the topic any further, my opinion of, would be useless as deleted, as surely someone, or not, would take imaginary offense.  No sense in me wasting my time.  

 

Did that already replying to you.

Have a nice day

[Cory1848]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Which one 

 

To the implied topic ... hard to deny, though not sure I believe the numbers (6M) constantly repeated.  Or the need for the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly reminder.  Doubt if I can comment any further.

There is conclusive evidence that around 6 million Jewish people were murdered during the Holocaust; apart from Jewish records, the Nazis themselves (being Germans!) were precise about their record keeping. If you’re “not sure [you] believe the numbers,” that’s either your personal bias, or your reliance on bogus information, or your refusal to accept historical fact.

 

As for your list of other “holocausts” through history in another post, these are all of course horrific in their own way and just as worthy of remembrance and historical accuracy; and as you point out, they happen with some frequency. However, in plain English, the word “Holocaust,” usually capped, refers to the German effort to exterminate European Jews during World War II. Just the same as the word “antisemitism,” in plain English, means hatred of Jewish people, not hatred of people who speak Semitic languages. Webster’s may provide various definitions of the word “holocaust,” but, as the English language has developed over the past several decades, it is commonly understood to refer to the Jewish Holocaust. One cannot place a value judgment on this use of the word, nor is it meant to diminish the horrific tragedy of other genocides; it’s purely a matter of semantics, of how English is spoken and understood.

[Cory1848]

2 hours ago, Sandboxer said:

I really don't like to talk about this time in history. My grandfather died in Ausschwitz (fell off the watch tower).

 

Now I participate in weekly alcoholocausts in his memory.

 

Interestingly, isn't the prefix "holo" a word that denotes something that's not real? Hologram.....etc.

Really? So I guess the New Yorker cartoon is true after all: “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog!”

[bubblegum]

same as earth is flat. fools.

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

1933 to 1945

The question did not deserve an answer, sorry.

[Merrill]

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

1933 to 1945

Was there not also a holocaust  in Russia after the revolution and in the 1920 I think there were several. Having said that some millions of soldiers were starved to death in the south of France after the War. Sometimes it seems the World is run by psychopaths 

[Rimmer]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

That's a bit short sighted ...

 

"The word 'holocaust' comes from ancient Greek and means 'burnt offering'   Long before the Jews took it for themselves.

 

Yes, holocaust / genocides seem to happen fairly regular ...

... Darfur

... Rwanda

... Bosnia and Herzegovina

... Cambodia

... Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution

... Nanking

... Holodomor

... Armenian (Ottoman)

... Herero (Namibia)

... Native Americans

... Transatlantic Slave Trade

 

 

You are going off topic here KhunLA and Native Americans  and Transatlantic Slave Trade are even further off topic

 

The term "Holocaust" is widely recognized as referring to the Nazi genocide of Jews, but it can theoretically apply to other events involving mass slaughter or destruction. However, to respect the specificity and historical context, it is more common to reserve the term for the Nazi genocide and use other descriptors for the atrocities listed below.

 

When I started researching the Holocaust 12 years ago the number of deaths were substantially higher and seem have been reduced over the years.

 

I would respectfully class your list of mass killings as genocide and therefore outside of this topic

 

Holocaust (Jews)            6,000,000                          100%

Darfur                             300,000–500,0005            8%

Rwanda                           800,000–1,000,00013      17%

Bosnia                             100,000                              1.7%

Cambodia                       1,700,000–2,200,00028   36%

Cultural Revolution        500,000–2,000,0008        33%

Nanking                           200,000–300,0003            5%

Holodomor                     3,500,000–7,000,00058   117%

Armenian Genocide      1,000,000–1,500,00017    25%

Herero and Namaqua  75,000–120,0001               2%