Nation on Trial

Among the academically politically correct, a particularly noxious notion has been revised in the work of Daniel Goldhagen in his book _Hitler's Willing Executioners_. This is the racist idea of the "barbaric Hun", popular among the British and Allied forces in the "Great War". Like such precursors as Theodor Kaufman, writer of the notorious tract _Germany Must Perish!_, Goldhagen has revised the idea that the entire German nation was to blame for Hitler, all Germans being possessed of a crazed anti-Semitism. According to Goldhagen, it is the ordinary Germans who were the most bestial in their brutality towards the Jews (and of course Goldhagen focuses conveniently only on the Jews, arguing that the Holocaust of the Jews was a unique historical event without precedent, indeed outside of time). But, then according to Goldhagen, this mass madness was magically to disappear with the end of the war and the defeat of Hitler; indeed, the modern Germans are the very champions of liberty courtesy of the reconstitution of their nation with the help of the Allied forces. Fortunately, many of those who are not blinded by political correctness can see through the absurdity of this farce presented as historical thesis. In this book, two essays are presented which attempt to refute Goldhagen's thesis. The first is by Norman Finkelstein, himself a Jew and descended from survivors of the Holocaust. The second is by Ruth Bittina Birn, another expert on the historical tragedy which subsisted in the Third Reich. Both essays attempt to show through actually examining the historical record the house of cards which the Goldhagen thesis proves to be. Upon closer examination it becomes apparent that many of the German officers were not possessed by madness but indeed looked upon their activities as part of a disgusting, albeit necessary, part of the war bureaucracy. In addition, like most who focus on the Holocaust, the role of other social groups persecuted by Hitler and later by the communists who were to seize control of half of Germany after the war is totally ignored by Goldhagen. Finkelstein brings out some interesting points in comparing various historical tragedies including many which exist in modern America and within the modern world with those that occurred during World War II. Indeed, so much has been made of the horrendous events which occurred during this war that it has become difficult to discern the truth, from the haze. Goldhagen represents an unfortunate turn in revisionist scholarship, attempting to swamp the American public with yet more horrendous tales of Holocaust attrocities. Yet, while this occurs the attrocities of the communists (particularly under Stalin, far greater than those of Hitler and his regime) are entirely ignored by academic scholarship (if not outright denied). Why is this? Perhaps it is just a further indication of the kind of rabid political correctness that exists among the revisionist left which holds such s

Arguing that much of the Holocaust literature contains gross misinformation and sheer lies, Finkelstein provides an important insight into Goldhagen's insidious attempt to distort historical facts. According to Finkelstein, Goldhagen's book is characterized by numerous contradictions, exaggerations and serious misrepresentation of the facts. For example, Goldhagen asserts in his book that all Germans were belligerent anti-semitists who when given the chance tortured every Jew they could come across. This of course is a gross overgeneralization given that the majority of serious historians agree that many Germans did not commit any enormities against Jewish people. Having said that, Finkelstein does not claim that they were not anti-semitists. On the contrary, many Germans were anti-semitists but they still chose not to take part in the extermination of Jews. Goldhagen however asserts that being a passive observer automatically makes you a perpetrator who is as guilty as the person committing the actual atrocities. If this is the case, then most people are perpetrators because we all sometimes witness heinous crimes and gross injustices not being able to stop them. Goldhagen further holds that the Holocaust was a unique event. Note that a unique event must contain unique victims. Thus, according to Goldhagen, Jews were unique victims. What about the gypsies who were murdered during the Holocaust? Why aren't they the unique victims? Why aren't they included in the history books? Distorting the history in this cynical way as Goldhagen does is morally reprehensible. Not all Germans actively participated in the Holocaust. Blaiming the entire nation is preposterous and indicative of spurious scholarship.

Life need not be an experience shrouded in mystery and confusion. If something appears to be out of synch or puzzling, one has only to examine the details more closely. This idea could also be applied to the cloak of uniqueness which has been draped around the holocaust. It seems Goldhagen's book "Hitler's Willing Executioners" only adds to the murkiness. "A Nation on Trial" illuminates the scene by pointing out contradictions and inconsistencies in Goldhagen's arguments, and citing accounts from post-war documents which show that Jews were certainly not the only victims to suffer. As "A Nation on Trial" reveals, the holocaust is not the only atrocity in the world to occur against groups of people. The ability to research and investigate without distortion should be traits of any individual in an institution of higher learning, especially when the character and reputation of an entire nation is at stake. It's a good thing that Finkelstein and Birn have written this book because it affirms that the truth really does matter.

Finkelstein's book a "A Nation On Trial" is an excellent book. It's not only a great book, it's a revolution. Finkelstein, jewish himself, dares to challenge the "Holcaust Industry". How amazing and brave this step was, can not be underestimated. It's quite obvious in his book to see that Finkelstein is concerned about historical truth and what we make of it. One of his main arguments is that less than a per cent of all Germans were actually involved in the destruction of the European Jewry. He asks his readers how someone can possibly accuse all Germans? Well, Goldhagen tried just that and failed. Finkelstein easily disproves Goldhagen in his interestingly written book. It's a must read for everyone who is interested in the truth.

This is the perfect companion piece to read with Goldhagen's Hitler's Willing Executioners. Norman Finkelstein is a brilliant writer and an eminently decent man, he is also a far superior intellect to Goldhagen. The match is similar to a heavyweight vs. a featherweight, and Prof. Finkelstein is the heavyweight. Buy this book!