The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

David Irving to tour Holocaust sites

Calls to ban revisionist historian from planned trip to Poland.

By Daniel Trilling Published 18 September 2010 11:59

Anti-racist groups have called for the British historian David Irving to be banned from visiting Poland, where he plans to lead a guided tour of Holocaust sites.

Irving, who has written a number of revisionist histories of the Second World War, and who was convicted of denying the Holocaust by an Austrian court in 2006, plans to hold a guided tour of sites including that of the Nazi death camp at Treblinka. His week-long tour will begin on 21 September in Warsaw and is expected to attract a number of far-right sympathisers from across Europe. Irving told the Daily Mail he was not a Holocaust denier and claimed Treblinka was a real death camp site, as opposed to Auschwitz, which he described as a "Disney-style" tourist attraction.

A joint statement issued by the anti-racist group Searchlight and its Polish counterpart Nigdy Wiecej ("Never Again"), called on the Polish government to ban Irving from visiting the country. However, a spokesman at the Polish embassy in London said that although Irving's movements would be closely monitored by the country's secret services, he could not be stopped from entering Poland, as he is not currently on any countries' wanted lists.

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12 comments

Sat, 2010-09-18 16:10 — Robert Taggart

"I DO NOT BELEIVE IT" !

Sat, 2010-09-18 23:50 — stuart (not verified)

did not david irving by invite attend the the hitler of iran mr ahmadinejads annual holocaust denying convention with the rest of these jew haters from the arab world and the west,i dont see you mentioning that mr daniel trilling,but then again you was probably to busy shouting abuse at the pope today.

Sun, 2010-09-19 00:55 — kenny jenkins

Why do you keep referring to him as a revisionist historian? The correct term is Lying Nazi.

Sun, 2010-09-19 03:46 — Alain (not verified)

"The correct term is Lying Nazi."

Have you read any of his books, Kenny?

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"did not david irving by invite attend the the hitler of iran mr ahmadinejads annual holocaust denying convention with the rest of these jew haters from the arab world"

From what I can make out of this, you are claiming he attended the "Holocaust Denial" conference in Iran. He most certainly did not, as he was in an Austrian prison cell when it happened.

Sun, 2010-09-19 04:47 — zack

Instead of simply repeating what the mainstream media (who are terrified of the all powerful jewish lobby)says about David Irving, why not read his books and visit his website fpp.co.uk. You will see how his beliefs are grossly misrepresented.
He is not a holocaust denier - even this article includes that Irving believes Treblinka was a death camp.
Just maybe he is interested in the truth of what really happened.

Sun, 2010-09-19 04:49 — zack

Whoops. I forgot in my last post to type holocaust with a capital 'H.' I will now sit quietly and await the Thought Police to knock on my door to take me away for re-education.

Sun, 2010-09-19 09:08 — gordy

I see nothing wrong with Irving visiting Poland. Why is anyone upset? Is there really something to hide? And what's 'anti-racism' got to do with Holocaust denial anyway?

Sun, 2010-09-19 10:29 — John (not verified)

I fail to see the link between Holocaust denial and Nazism. Surely if he were a Nazi he would be claiming the Holocaust as one of Nazism's great achievements?

Sun, 2010-09-19 10:40 — swatantra nandanwar

The Nazi want to distance themselves from the fact that they were responible for the holocaust, thats why they are in denial. They excise themselves by saying it was just Hitler and his close advisors who were solely responsible. Nonsense. The whole German nation knew and became aware of what was going on.
Irving is a dangerous spokesman for denial and wants locking up.
There is a strong resurrgence of the neo nazis in Poland which their Govt is doing little to combat. The tours of neo nazis going to gloat is sickening.