Persona non grata David Irving

1 persona non grata

1.1 libel suit
1.2 life after libel suit
1.3 controversy in norway, 2008

persona non grata

david irving being deported canada, 1992

after irving denied holocaust in 2 1989 speeches given in austria, austrian government issued arrest warrant him , barred him entering country. in 1992, german court found him guilty of holocaust denial under auschwitzlüge section of law against volksverhetzung (a failed appeal irving see fine rise 10,000 dm 30,000 dm), , subsequently barred entering germany. other governments followed suit, including italy , canada, arrested in november 1992 , deported united kingdom. in administrative hearing surrounding events, found hearing office have engaged in total fabrication in telling story of exit , return canada would, technical reasons, have made original deportation order invalid. barred entering australia in 1992, ban made 5 unsuccessful attempts overturn.

in 1992, irving signed contract macmillan biography of joseph goebbels entitled goebbels: mastermind of third reich. following charges irving had selectively edited discovered complete edition of goebbels s diaries in moscow, macmillan cancelled book deal. decision sunday times (who had bought rights serialised extracts diaries before macmillan published them) in july 1992 hire irving translator of goebbels s diary criticised historian peter pulzer, argued irving, because of views third reich, not best man job. andrew neil, editor of sunday times, called irving reprehensible , defended hiring him because transcribing technician , others criticised poor description of translation work.

on 27 april 1993, irving ordered attend court examined on charges relating loi gayssot in france, making offence question existence or size of category of crimes against humanity. law not extend extradition, , irving refused travel france. then, in february 1994, irving spent 10 days of three-month sentence in london s pentonville prison contempt of court following legal wrangling on publishing rights.

in 1995, st. martin s press of new york city agreed publish goebbels biography; after protests, cancelled contract, leaving irving in situation in which, according d. d. guttenplan, desperate financial help, publicity, , need re-establish reputation historian. book self-published.

libel suit

on 5 september 1996, irving filed libel suit against deborah lipstadt , british publisher penguin books publishing british edition of lipstadt s book, denying holocaust, had first been published in united states in 1993. in book, denying holocaust, lipstadt called irving holocaust denier, falsifier, , bigot, , said manipulated , distorted real documents.

lipstadt hired british solicitor anthony julius present case, while penguin books hired kevin bays , mark bateman, libel specialist media firm davenport lyons. briefed libel barrister richard rampton qc , penguin briefed junior barrister heather rogers. defendants (with penguin s insurers paying fee) retained professor richard j. evans, historian , professor of modern history @ cambridge university, expert witness. working expert witnesses american holocaust historian christopher browning, german historian peter longerich , dutch architectural expert robert jan van pelt. last wrote report attesting fact death camps designed, built , used purpose of mass murder, while browning testified reality of holocaust. evans report comprehensive, in-depth examination of irving s work:

not 1 of [irving s] books, speeches or articles, not 1 paragraph, not 1 sentence in of them, can taken on trust accurate representation of historical subject. of them worthless history, because irving cannot trusted anywhere, in of them, give reliable account of talking or writing ... if mean historian concerned discover truth past, , give accurate representation of possible, irving not historian.

the bbc quoted evans further:-

irving, (...) had deliberately distorted , wilfully mistranslated documents, consciously used discredited testimony , falsified historical statistics. (...) irving has fallen far short of standards of scholarship customary amongst historians not deserve called historian @ all.

not did irving lose case, in light of evidence presented @ trial number of works had escaped serious scrutiny brought public attention. liable pay of penguin s costs of trial, estimated as £2 million (us$3.2 million) though remains uncertain how of these liabilities pay for. when did not meet these, davenport lyons moved make him bankrupt on behalf of client. declared bankrupt in 2002, , lost home, though has been able travel around world despite financial problems.

the libel suit depicted in 2016 film, denial.

life after libel suit

early in september 2004, michael cullen, deputy prime minister of new zealand, announced irving not permitted visit country, had been invited national press club give series of lectures under heading problems of writing world war ii in free society . national press club defended invitation of irving, saying amounted not endorsement of views, rather opportunity question him. government spokeswoman said people have been deported country refused entry new zealand. irving rejected ban , attempted board qantas flight new zealand los angeles on 17 september 2004. not allowed on board.

on 11 november 2005, austrian police in southern state of styria, acting under 1989 warrant, arrested irving. irving pleaded guilty charge of trivialising, grossly playing down , denying holocaust . irving stated in plea changed opinions on holocaust, said based on knowledge @ time, 1991 when came across eichmann papers, wasn t saying anymore , wouldn t now. nazis did murder millions of jews. irving sentenced 3 years imprisonment in accordance law prohibiting national socialist activities (officially verbotsgesetz, prohibition statute ). irving sat motionless judge peter liebetreu asked him if had understood sentence, replied m not sure before being bundled out of court austrian police. later, irving declared himself shocked severity of sentence. had reportedly purchased plane ticket home london.

in december 2006, irving released prison, , banned ever returning austria. upon irving s arrival in uk reaffirmed position, stating felt no need longer show remorse holocaust views. on 18 may 2007, expelled 52nd warsaw international book fair in poland because books took there deemed organizers promoting nazism , antisemitism, in violation of polish law.

since then, irving has continued work freelance writer, despite troubled public image. drawn controversy surrounding bishop richard williamson, in televised interview recorded in germany in november 2008 denied holocaust took place, see williamson convicted incitement in april 2010 after refusing pay fine of €12,000. irving subsequently found himself beset protesters on book tour of united states. irving has actively toured united states. irving has given lectures , tours in uk , europe; 1 tour poland in september 2010 led particular criticism included treblinka death camp itinerary stop. during 2008 tour of us, deborah lipstadt said irving s audience limited like-minded people.

irving , nick griffin (then british national party leader) invited speak @ forum on free speech @ oxford union on 26 november 2007, along anne atkins , evan harris. debate took place after oxford union members voted in favour of it, disrupted protesters. of 2016 irving lecturing small audiences @ venues disclosed vetted ticket-holders day or 2 before event on topics including antisemitic jewish conspiracies and, @ 1 such event, claiming write truth unlike conformist historians while asserting fabrications leading nazis. life , death of heinrich himmler, , saturation bombings during world war ii.

irving established website selling nazi memorabilia in 2009. items offered other people, irving receiving commission each sale authenticating them. irving stated in 2009 website way make money after being bankrupted in 2002. items sold through website include hitler s walking stick , lock of dictator s hair. irving has investigated authenticity of bones purported hitler , eva braun.

controversy in norway, 2008

in october 2008 controversy erupted in norway on invitation of david irving speak @ 2009 norwegian festival of literature. several of norway s distinguished authors protested against invitation. leader of board festival, jesper holte, defended invitation stating our agenda invite liar , falsifier of history festival truth. , confront him this. irving has been invited discuss concept of truth in light of activity writer of historical books , many accusations has been exposed consequence of this. although irving introduced in festival s webpages historian , writer board chair leader defended more aggressive language being used characterize irving in connection controversy had arisen. lars saabye christensen , roy jacobsen 2 authors had threatened boycott festival on account of irving s invitation , anne b. ragde stated sigrid undset have turned around in grave. festival has subsidiary name sigrid undset days , representative of undset s family had requested name of nobel laureate removed in connection festival. norwegian free speech organization fritt ord critical towards letting irving speak @ festival , had requested logo removed festival. in addition edvard hoem announced not attend 2009 festival irving taking part. per edgar kokkvold, leader of norwegian press confederation advocated cancelling irving s invitation.

days after controversy had started, invitation rescinded. led resignation of stig sæterbakken position content director person had invited irving event. head of norwegian festival of literature, randi skeie, deplored had taken place, stating fine long agrees, things more difficult when 1 doesn t views being put forward. sæterbakken characterized colleagues damned cowards arguing walking in lockstep.

according editor-in-chief sven egil omdal of stavanger aftenblad opposition irving s participation @ festival appeared concerted effort , omdal suggested campaign journalism 2 of norway s largest newspapers, dagbladet , aftenposten , norway s public service broadcaster nrk.

david irving commented had not been told festival going present him liar, , preparing lecture real history of took place in norway during world war ii, contrary official historians have presented. irving stated had thought norwegian people made of tougher stuff.

only days after cancellation david irving announced go lillehammer during literature festival , deliver 2-hour lecture hotel room.