Holocaust Denial
The following comments reflect the views of our readers. Not all reader comments have been published. DW-WORLD.DE reserves the right to edit for length and appropriateness of content.
The basic idea of the principle of free speech is that you have a right, issuing from your dignity as a human being, to say what you honestly think is true. Those who believe in the arguments of Holocaust revisionism meet this criterion. There is very good evidence behind these arguments and those who support them are intellectually honest. They are not hateful propagandists. If the EU makes holocaust denial a crime, it makes itself a criminal against Classical Liberalism and the dignity of man. - Kendra Blewitt, San Francisco
How can one deny the Holocaust? It happened. How can one not admit the existence of Israel? There it is. But how long do we have to cow-tow to the wishes of the Israelis? Just get over it. - James Wilder, US
These laws prohibiting Holocaust skepticism are evil. It is the right of a free people to question their government publicly. The founding fathers of the United States drew upon great European thinkers and philosophers such as Voltaire and John Stuart Mill. European tradition is what today's Europe should espouse, not Stalinist laws to placate interest groups. I cannot express the evil with which I view any law which proscribes my right to believe or not to believe in any aspect of any historical event and to publicly state my opinion. - Joseph Kochanek
As long as the European Union does not have a common constitution approved by all its members, it will be difficult to find consensus on the criminalization of Holocaust denial. - Jose Nigrin
The German government has a moral obligation to uphold its constitution, which guarantees any of its citizens the right to free speech. Also, a murder is a crime no matter who commits it. To exempt one group from the rest is a violation of article 14 of the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. - Rudolf Pueschel
Passing laws that illegalize Holocaust denial is a victory against freedom of speech. - Brad Harris
To put a man at Mr. Zundel's advanced age in jail is criminal to say the least. I thought people were allowed to think. Mr. Zundel chooses to think differently. It isn't a crime. How many people will Germany put in jail for thinking or writing books? Shame! - Sheila Fox
Merely expressing one's opinion or belief, or even ignorance, will not change what has already happened and will also not make a non-occurrence an occurrence. In this light, such a ban is laughable and infantile. It also shows that the EU is held hostage by Jewish groups and lobbies. Moreover, it is now 2007 and everyone has got over the World War Two itch, other than Germany, that is. There are far more pressing issues to be taken care of than this pet obsession. If the government wants to be a stooge to the Jewish lobby, then it is up to its members to decide, but it can at no point of time force others to subscribe to its point of view. - Suvrajit Saha
Sixty years after the war's end, Nazism is again rearing its ugly head: jailing people for their speech, laws against free thought and burning books. How can you people be so stupid? Do you really think you are any different then Hitler? - Lynda, UK
What the hell is wrong with Germany? They have been sitting around like a whipped puppy since World War Two. Germany needs to openly look at the issue of the Holocaust. There is sufficient evidence that all the claims are not true. Germany has zero national pride. You need to act like the father land and stand strong and see to what is best for your nation. You have so much to offer God's world. You first need to break this "Holocaust poison" that has ruined your spirit as a people. - Andrew
