Hierarchies of Denial
British historian David Irving has been found guilty in Vienna of denying the Holocaust of European Jewry and sentenced to three years in prison.
He had pleaded guilty to the charge, based on a speech and interview he gave in Austria in 1989.
“I made a mistake when I said there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz,” he told the court in the Austrian capital.
Irving appeared stunned by the sentence, and told reporters: “I’m very shocked and I’m going to appeal.”
Given the extensive participation of numerous Austrians, including at the highest levels, in the implementation of the Final Solution and other Nazi crimes, Austria should have been a leader in the prosecution of Holocaust perpetrators over the course of the past four decades, as has been the case in Germany. Unfortunately, relatively little has been achieved by the Austrian authorities in the regard. During the period under review ten new investigations were conducted but no convictions were obtained nor were any new cases filed. Austria continues to be the country with the most potential suspects but the least likelihood of their prosecution.
Mark Waters marked time at 11:10 am on February 21st, 2006 .
