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'''Holocaust denial''' is a belief, a subterfuge, that the Nazi [[Holocaust]] did not occur, or occurred to a lesser extent than believed by the preponderance of scholars. Holocaust deniers assert that the Nazis did not attempt to exterminate the [[Jews]] (as well as political opponents, Gypsies, Catholics and other Christian church members opposed to his policies, mentally retarded individuals, homosexuals, etc.) during [[World War II]].
'''Holocaust denial''' is a belief that the Nazi [[Holocaust]] did not occur, or occurred to a lesser extent than believed by the preponderance of scholars. Holocaust deniers assert that the Nazis did not attempt to exterminate the [[Jews]] (as well as political opponents, Gypsies, Catholics and other Christian church members opposed to his policies, mentally retarded individuals, homosexuals, etc.) during [[World War II]].
The holocaust denial view point has no support amongst any significant number of scholars. This denial is partly a result of a growing number of [[Existentialism|existentialist]] thinkers who refer to history as simply a myth as well as the result of the efforts of history revisionists and anti-Zionists.
The holocaust denial view point has no support amongst any significant number of scholars. This denial is partly a result of a growing number of [[Existentialism|existentialist]] thinkers who refer to history as simply a myth as well as the result of the efforts of history revisionists and anti-Zionists.
One of its main purposes is to discredit the establishment of the nation of [[Israel]] in 1948. Questioning the historicity of the Holocaust is considered gravely offensive to Jews <ref>http://skepdic.com/holocaustdenial.html</ref>, and anti-Semitic in nature. Denying the Holocaust is illegal in a number of European countries. In 2007, a German court sentenced notorious [[historical revisionist]] and denier Ernst Zündel to five years in prison for "incitement of racial hatred." <ref>http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/03/01/zundel-release.html</ref>
One of its main purposes is to discredit the establishment of the nation of [[Israel]] in 1948. Questioning the historicity of the Holocaust is considered gravely offensive to Jews <ref>http://skepdic.com/holocaustdenial.html</ref>, and anti-Semitic in nature. Denying the Holocaust is illegal in a number of European countries. In 2007, a German court sentenced notorious [[historical revisionist]] and denier Ernst Zündel to five years in prison for "incitement of racial hatred." <ref>http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/03/01/zundel-release.html</ref>
Arguments based on the physical structure of the chambers (ventilation, construction and other concerns) spring from the postwar examination of the camps. However, there is ample evidence that Nazis fully or partially destroyed many execution facilities to conceal evidence of their crimes.<ref>http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005189</ref><ref>http://remember.org/History.root.rev.html</ref>
Arguments based on the physical structure of the chambers (ventilation, construction and other concerns) spring from the postwar examination of the camps. However, there is ample evidence that Nazis fully or partially destroyed many execution facilities to conceal evidence of their crimes.<ref>http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005189</ref><ref>http://remember.org/History.root.rev.html</ref>
== Holocaust Denial in Germany ==
Holocaust denial is particularly sensitive issue in Germany, the former seat of the Nazi regime. The country first outlawed denial movements in 1985, making it a crime to deny the extermination of the Jews. The law was amended in 1994, imposing a fine and a five-year prison sentence on anyone who publicly endorses, denies or plays down the genocide against the Jews.<ref>http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1833619,00.html</ref> In 2007, the German government spearheaded a movement to ban Holocaust denial throughout the [[European Union]].<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6263103.stm</ref>
A base of anti-semitism is observable in the liberal news medias of [[Japan]] in which news sources ''([[Shukanshi]])'' including the popular ''Shukan Bunshun'' has repeatedly published articles denying the German holocaust of European Jews<ref>Adam Gamble & Takesato Watanabe - ''A Public Betrayed - An Inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities and Their Warnings to the West'', 2004.</ref>.
A base of anti-semitism is observable in the liberal news medias of [[Japan]] in which news sources ''([[Shukanshi]])'' including the popular ''Shukan Bunshun'' has repeatedly published articles denying the German holocaust of European Jews<ref>Adam Gamble & Takesato Watanabe - ''A Public Betrayed - An Inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities and Their Warnings to the West'', 2004.</ref>.
== Denial movements abroad ==
Iranian president [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], has become an outspoken voice of the denier movement, making many public statements condemning Israel and Jews in general. He has questioned whether the Holocaust actually occurred and hosted a conference designed to cast doubt on the idea of its historicity. <ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,236014,00.html</ref>
==Countries where Holocaust denial is illegal==
==Countries where Holocaust denial is illegal==
*Austria
*Austria
*Belgium
*Belgium
*Canada
*Czech Republic
*Czech Republic
*France
*France