Arthur Butz
The American Holocaust denier Arthur Butz is hailed within the movement as being one of the fathers of modern Holocaust denial (along with Robert Faurisson). Butz's primary contribution is the book The Hoax of the Twentieth Century, which was first published in 1976, and has remained almost completely untouched since this time. Butz is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering: it is in his academic training that the significance of his book lies. As an academic, Butz is well versed in the production of academic texts. On the surface, The Hoax of the Twentieth Century appears to be a serious academic work, as it is extensive (around 400 pages), contains numerous diagrams, footnotes and references, and the information is presented mainly in an academic style. However, upon closer examination, Butz's book is shown to be replete with distortions, fabrications, half-truths and antisemitic propaganda. The Holocaust denial movement proclaimed (and still does) the supposed academic objectiveness of Butz's book, and the book was promoted widely, albeit without any real success. For instance, Australian John Bennett sent copies and abstracts of the books to university libraries, academics, and politicians, in an effort to promote the book. Since producing the book, Butz's primary contribution to the Holocaust denial movement has been as a member of the 'editorial advisory committee' of the Journal of Historical Review (JHR), the flagship publication of the Institute for Historical Review, the occasional article published in the JHR's pages and speaking at the IHR's conferences. Butz also maintains a seldom updated web site. In August 1998, Butz was a keynote speaker at the 'International Revisionist Symposium' of the Adelaide Institute, which the group's director, Fredrick Toben staged in Adelaide, Australia. However, despite Butz's more recent endeavours, he ultimately has done little since the publication of his book, yet such is the importance attributed to his book, he has still maintained his reputation within the movement. |
Name: Arthur Butz