Internet Roundup

In past columns I have discussed many of the values that the Internet affords revisionism. One of the greatest advantages, however, is one that I have not yet mentioned, that is, “networking.” Through use of electronic-mail (email) revisionists have been able to communicate faster and more efficiently. This has been of great importance in emergency situations, e.g. the closedown without notice of CODOHWeb on July 4, 1996. In a matter of hours, revisionists and those sympathetic to revisionism were alerted by email, to this act of censorship. There is virtually no cost to sending such communications, as most on-line providers charge flat monthly charges.

Another great benefit of email is that revisionists can share ideas, pose questions, and make suggestions to other revisionists. In many cases, long-distance friendships are established. There is a sense of camaraderie as people of similar outlook can work together and share ideas. On certain occasions these email friendships can be realized in person, when email “pen pals” travel to foreign lands.

Such a situation occurred recently as Dr. Fredrick Toben, founder of the Adelaide (Australia) Institute, set out on a journey to meet with revisionists in America and Europe and take a first-hand look at sites of interest to revisionists here and in Europe. Dr. Toben is not a mere sightseer, but has established a very useful and attractive website on the Internet at: http://www.adam.com.au/~fr edadin/adins.html. He also publishes a newsletter which is available for a contribution (Adelaide Institute PO Box 3300 Norwood 5067 Australia).

I was very happy to meet Dr. Toben face to face after exchanging numerous emails with him over the past year or so. Toben. who has a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Stuttgart, is a friendly fellow with a superb intellect. We met in Washington D.C. and set out to get a first-hand look at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). This would be the first (and I daresay the last) visit that either of us would make to the Museum. Although we had both read numerous accounts of the Museum’s contents, we agreed that it was our responsibility as fair-minded students of the “Holocaust” to see what is being displayed as evidence of the traditional story.

Upon our arrival at the USHMM we were confronted by lines and a large number of people milling around the entrance to the museum. Dr. Toben decided not to beat around the bush; he walked up to two guards and requested to be taken to see Michael Berenbaum, the museum's director. To our surprise, one of the guards replied, “Berenbaum doesn’t work here any more. He left about four months ago. He went to Los Angeles to work for Spielberg.” Quite surprised by this response, we entered the museum and went to the information desk where Dr. Toben once again requested to see Berenbaum. The story was confirmed! We were told that Berenbaum went to work for the Shoah project with Steven Spielberg. He had moved about a month prior to our visit. After seeing this drab museum first hand, I can understand why Berenbaum chose the bright lights of Hollywood.

In order to get to the main exhibits in the USHMM. one must obtain a ticket (tickets are free for visitors—they are paid for up front by the American taxpayers.) Due to the crowds, our tickets would require us to wait for nearly three hours before entering. We walked around the small exhibit which is provided for those who are waiting. The “waiting room” exhibit is mainly comprised of a short film called Daniel’s Story. This is a melodramatic affair made to soften up those who are not sure what they are getting into. With little left to do while waiting for our official entry time, we wandered into the gift shop. Here visitors can purchase a book-length version of Daniel’s Story, as well as the Maus “Holocaust” comics (for the dads), a Theresienstadt Cookbook (for the moms), and Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (for the kiddies).

After exhausting the usefulness of the gift shop, we found that we still had a two-hour wait before our official entry would be allowed. Dr. Toben once again took the lead: approached the entry guard and explained that he was visiting from Australia and that our time for touring the museum was limited. The guard shoved Dr. Toben through the entry and allowed me to follow. Perhaps feeling guilty by this transgression of the rules he shouted after us, “Remember, I said no!” Perhaps he just wanted to cover himself. CODOH and Adelaide Institute thank this kind guard for extending us such “special treatment.”

Prior to entering a dismal elevator, the tourists are given special “identification cards” which are supposed to make you identify with the fate of someone who “lived during the Holocaust.” My ID card shows Abraham Bergman. Bergman spent time in Budzyn, Majdanek, Auschwitz, Oranienburg and Flossenbuerg. According to the ID card, “After the war Abraham lived in Bavaria for three years. He emigrated to Canada in 1949 and then moved to the United States in 1959.” Well, so far I couldn’t argue with anything that I had seen at the USHMM. This ID card seemed plausible to me.

The short elevator ride drops you off on the 4th floor of the museum. Here visitors must work their way down through a labyrinth of stairs and corridors. Dr. Toben and I viewed with awe such amazing sights as a milk can from the Warsaw ghetto, bricks from the Warsaw ghetto, and even a sewing machine. At this point, we were really anxious to see some solid evidence—of something. We wandered down to the Final Solution floor. Here some bunk beds are on exhibit. Still, we weren’t convinced that we had seen proof that millions of Jews had been gassed.

Finally we came to a replica of a model of the Birkenau “gas chamber” The original model is at the Auschwitz museum. It was built based on the descriptions from survivor testimony. This fairly large replica of the original model has numerous figures in it (each about 6 inches tall). Up on top of the “gas chamber” an SS man is seen pouring Zyklon through one of 4 roof openings. The Zyklon apparently drops down into hollow columns which are protected with screening to prevent the inmates from getting to it. In fact, on-site examinations of Birkenau have long ago shattered this myth of hollow columns.

Next we arrived at the grand finale of the museum, its one piece of “proof” for mass gassings, the “gas chamber” exhibit. This consists of a replica of door which still exists at the camp at Majdanek. In 1989 Jean-Claude Pressac, the most painstaking exterminationist student of the crematoria, explained very patiently that this was a door to a delousing installation, not a homicidal gas chamber.

After the Final Solution floor, tourists wander to a “sacred” area. An “eternal” flame bums in a rotunda encircled by Biblical quotations and the names of various concentration camps. Upon leaving the exhibit area, one is confronted with the seal of the United States of America, just in case we have forgotten where we were. Quotes by famous Americans also abound on the walls. I have not yet determined how that great American seer, George Washington, was able to comment on the Holocaust.

After finishing a tour of the USHMM one is delighted to be able to return to a world of reality and to breathe some fresh air.

I shared a lovely evening with Dr. Toben and some friends and then it was time to say good-bye. As I began to drive off I could see Dr. Toben smiling and waving farewell. I reflected on how the Internet had made this day possible. I also pondered the fate of Professor Michael Berenbaum, who was off to find fame in the make-believe land of Steven Spielberg and Hollywood while Dr. Toben was setting off to find truth at Auschwitz itself.