Customer Reviews

The Case for Auschwitz: Evidence from the Irving Trial

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Shermer and Grobman's _Denying History_ whetted, but did not completely satisfy, my appetite to learn more about the historical evidence for the Holocaust, so I bought and read van Pelt's book. I know that in this book van Pelt covers only a portion of the information that was in his reports for the Irving trial, but it was certainly enough to convince me that Judge Gray's verdict was the proper one. This book covers a lot of technical information that would possibly be hard to digest or be boring if it were presented by another author, but van Pelt writes very well, and I had trouble setting his book down. The author comes across as a very reasonable figure who is able to resist the urge to over-rely on either sentimentality or sarcasm. Perhaps I will need to read something else to internalize the horror that was the Holocaust, but I don't need to read anything else to see that it really did happen.

Finally, let me say that I was unprepared for what a big, handsomely bound, handsomely typeset book this would be. (I know that talking about the attractiveness of a book about the Holocaust is probably as bad as Jerry Seinfeld making out during "Schindler's List", but I figured that there might be some other bibliophiles out there who care about such things.)

One of the most comprehensive studies of the gassing and cremation operations at Auschwitz-Birkenau. In clear, non-hysterical p[rose, it presents the case based on evidence that has been meticulously considered, weighed, and analyzed. Packed with photos, diagrams, and charts, the book further solidifies the evidence FOR the fact that Birkenau and its four crematoria served as a killing center; they truly didn't function as bakeries, as one revisionist has posited. Along with forensic evidence gathered at various sites in Poland and Russia (i.e., the mass graves at Belzec), one wonders why people continue to insist that this didn't happen. Sure, it's mind-boggling... but the fact is that millions of people disappeared into these places. I don't think they could all have been shipped further east, or we'd be hearing from many of the children as adults now that the Soviet Union has fallen... Also addressed are the false credentials of many Holocaust deniers, and the lies and outright ignorance perpetrated in the drive to establishing their claims.

You would like to think that one of the central historical events of the 20th century would be beyond dispute, but nevertheless some manage to deny the holocaust.

In 2000, Holocaust denier David Irving sued Deborah Lipstadt and her publishers Penguin Books in the High Court for libel, and Robert Jan van Pelt was called as an expert witness for the defence. Essentially, his task was to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the court that the facts related by Lipstadt in [i]Denying the Holocaust[/i] were, to the best of current knowledge, true.

This book relates how van Pelt came to be called upon for this role, his researches and preparation for the trial, followed through with the story of how the trial itself went; from opening statements to Irving's eventual defeat.

On the way, the available evidence is thoroughly examined and assembled into a coherent narrative of the appalling events at the Auschwitz death camp. Arguments and evidence presented by Holocaust deniers is dissected, and their errors exposed in clear, logical prose.

This book is not cheap, but thorough and densely packed it is nonetheless good value.

Robert Jan Van Pelt's contribution to helping win the Irving trial can only be matched by the excellence of "The Case for Auschwitz." I have read extensively about the Holocaust over the past twenty years, and heard about this book in Krakow, Poland two months ago. My wife and I visited the camps, where she was born, and other WWII Jewish sites during that trip. Having recently seen Auschwitz I, II, and III first hand with an excellent guide, I was prepared with high expectations to learn new insights when I opened up this book.

My expectations were exceeded. In fact, this contained much of the trial content and interpretations that I was expecting in the Deborah Lipstadt book that she authorized after the trial. Having heard her speak in Chicago four days after the trial, she shared a number of fascinating experiences related to the trial and getting the guilty verdict that were all missing from her book. What this author has done is capture a wealth of fascinating facts, verbatim transcript portions of what various witnesses said at the trial and rebuttals, and lots more about Auschwitz II and its management. Everything about this work makes for fantastic reading...and on many levels. The illustrations and photos are meaningful and the final chapter is particularly memorable. For someone who wants to know what really went on in the trial, its meaning, the tactics of the twisted minds of Holocaust deniers and specifically why their denial premise gets a following, this is a true value for the cost.

Do not waste your money on this garbage! Carlo Mattogno recently published the following book: Auschwitz--The Case for Sanity: A Study of Pressac's "Criminal Traces" and van Pelt's "Convergence of Evidence." Mattogno proves without a doubt that "The Case for Auschwitz is neither a scholarly nor a historical work; it is only a biased journalistic assemblage of poorly understood and poorly interpreted historical sources." You can buy Mattogno's landmark work at Barnes Review online bookstore.

Great work Carlo! They can never counter your meticulous research. Another great revisionist is Friedrich Paul Berg. You need to visit his web site nazigassings quite frequently to learn the truth.

PoT

A fascinating look at a trial which brought to light the nefarious and underhanded way in which Holocaust deniers and revisionists twist the facts of history. A must-read for history buffs, truth seekers, and legal eagles.

This is one of many good books on the Irving trial in which a holocaust denier was allowed, because of englands biased legal system, to sue an author for libel only because she referred to him as what he was, a holocaust denier. This book is not the best on the subject but it does a job job of explaining the farce of Irvings moronic statements. At one point in the trial Irving even referred to the Judge as 'mein Fuhrer', comical and amazingly disturbing.

Seth J. Frantzman

The trial transcripts are available on line (for free!!!!!). Imagine that, you can get an unbiased take on the evidence! Van Pelt gives very compelling testimony (unlike some of the other highly paid "witnesses" for the defense) but why pay him again for it?