Mattogno’s New IHR Book Promoted on Radio Show
Auschwitz: The End of a Legend, the recently published book by Italian scholar Carlo Mattogno, has been receiving detailed and sympathetic attention on a radio talk show with a wide listenership in the western United States.
Russ Granata, a retired southern California teacher and US Navy veteran of World War II who played a crucial role in the translation, publication and promotion of the book, appeared on three occasions on the show, called “At a Glance.” Host Rodney Bardin and Granata are old acquaintances.
During his first appearance in October 1994, Granata spoke about Mattogno's background, explained the importance of the widely-publicized writings about At,Ischwitz by French researcher Jean-Claude Pressac (which is the focus of Mattogno's book), and described a few of the points of contention between Mattogno and Pressac. Granata told listeners about the origins and development of Holocaust revisionism, mentioning the roles of Paul Rassinier, Harry Elmer Barnes, Arthur Butz and other revisionist scholars. Granata also spoke about the Institute for Historical Review (which published Mattogno's book in September), giving the IHR address and citing its bi-monthly Journal.
Reaching a listenership estimated in the hundreds of thousands, the pre-recorded program is broadcast on different days over four or five stations in southern California (including two in Los Angeles), New Mexico and Hawaii.
A few weeks later Granata returned as a guest to respond to letters received in the meantime from listeners of his first broadcast. He responded to the inquires, most of them thoughtful and several sympathetic, patiently and knowledgeably speaking about the Holocaust story, particularly regarding Auschwitz. He repeatedly cited Mattogno's book, and listeners were again told how to order it directly from the publisher. (Mattogno's presentation at the September 1994 IHR Conference, which summarizes the book's evidence and arguments, is published in the Nov.-Dec. 1994 Journal.)
In January Granata returned for a third appearance on “At a Glance,” answering additional thoughtful questions from listeners. More than two dozen letters about the book had been received, Bardin said.
The evidence presented by Mattogno, said Granata, shows conclusively that the widely-repeated stories of homicidal gas chambers and “industrial mass killings” at Auschwitz, are “completely absurd.” The Holocaust extermination tale, Granata went on, is technically and historically unfounded, and is therefore “simply not believable,” It is the great taboo of our era.
Bardin cited letters of acclaim from listeners who had purchased and read the book. One reader, Bardin said, praised it as the “best Christmas gift I've ever received.” Several times the IHR address was given out, so that listeners could order the book for themselves.
We Americans have no commission from God to police the world.
—Benjamin Harrison
Bibliographic information about this document: The Journal of Historical Review, vol. 15, no. 1 (January/February 1995), p. 30
Other contributors to this document: n/a
Editor’s comments: n/a