Tag Archives: Holocaust denial
Since this website is not a forum for political endorsement I will not declare my personal allegiance in the upcoming presidential election. Ask me in another forum and I will have no shame in stating my preference and speak with me one on one and I will gladly debate you, but unless I feel something is unquestionably relevant to the survival or history of the Jewish people, I will do my best to stay on point. This website, one that was set up to promote the book Jew Face, is being used to bring to light holocaust denial, holocaust mentality, anti-Semitism, and historically relevant facts as they pertain to the Holocaust and my parents’ experiences.
So today I will speak of the upcoming election, but in a way I have not seen anywhere else till now. When 6 million people get murdered by a force as strong as the Nazis were between 1933 and 1945, there is very little criticism given to the victims. And rightly so. The innocent victims, people who were merely guilty of being born Jewish, did nothing to deserve their horrible fate. The brutality of the Nazis is well documented and needs to be continually documented so that it will never be forgotten. There is however one criticism often given to the victims as a group. This criticism is that they listened blindly and followed like sheep. Now I do not have the arrogance to make this criticism because none of us know what we would have done in this situation. However, this argument may be backed up by looking at those who did stand up and fight, or recognized what was going on and did not follow blindly. My father, Nardus Groen, was one of those people, and although he was the first to credit it to good fortune and God’s blessing, it is hard not to make an argument that his behavior lead to his survival, my mother’s survival, and the existence of their entire offspring, yours truly included.
So heading into the November election, whether you are Conservative or Liberal, love or hate President Obama, Republican or Democrat, I have one strong request from you. Use your mind. Don’t blindly follow anything. If you hate Obama, I guarantee you that some of the criticisms of your sources are either spun or fabricated, and if you love Obama I guarantee the same. Do not follow anyone like sheep. Even those you consider to be like minded. Be fair, be thoughtful, and be aware. For when you follow like sheep, you are often being lead to slaughter. And if anything can be learned from the past, it’s that independent thought is a much better road to survival than blind trust.
Leave a comment | tags: 6 million, anti-Semitism, Conservative, Democrat, Holocaust, Holocaust denial, Jew Face, Jewish, Jewish people, liberal, Nardus Groen, Nazis, President Obama, Republican | posted in Uncategorized
I admit I am trying to sell a book on this website, but in doing so I’ve become very aware of the need to make sure people never forget what the Jewish people went through under Nazi occupation. Today’s terror attack is a powerful and sad reminder of how important this mission has become. An attack most likely orchestrated by Iran, a nation whose president leads the world in Holocaust denial, today’s bus explosion in Bulgaria shows what people who have no value for human life, specifically Jewish life, are capable of doing. The same mentality that existed during Hitler’s Germany today exists in the radical Muslim world. Make no mistake. Today’s attack was not merely and anti-Zionist activity. It was an attack on Jews by people who want the same thing the Nazis wanted, the annihilation of the Jewish people worldwide. We must never forget, because in remembering we can clearly identify when we see it again, as we did today.
2 Comments | tags: anti-Zionist, Bulgaria, bus explosion, Hitler, Hitler's Germany, Holocaust, Holocaust denial, Iran, Jewish, Jewish people, Jews, Muslim, Nazi, Nazi occupation, radical Muslim, terror attack, Zionist | posted in Uncategorized
When Nazi Germany rose to power in 1933 very few, if any, knew what type of horrors they would be capable of inflicting on Europe. Even with the strong anti-Semitic rhetoric no one predicted they would put their “Final Solution” which would lead to the murder of 6 million Jews. Even with Kristallnacht, “Night of Broken Glass”, German Jews knew living in Germany would no longer be comfortable, but most did not predict the gas chambers and death camps. The Nazi strategy was one of gradual progression. They did not hide their disdain for the Jewish people, but what they did was start by taking away their rights, turning public sentiment against them, removing their basic dignity, and finally taking away their life. Their strategy was so successful in Holland that many did not realize how bad it was going to be until it was too late.
Any Jew who believes that anti-Israel sentiment is not the same as anti-Semitism has chosen to turn a blind eye very similar to the blind eyes turned by so many during the reign of Nazi Germany. Israel, the Jewish state, has been a willing partner in peace and a nation that has given up land in the name of peace. We have the nation of Iran committed to its destruction. Its leadership has consistently denied the Holocaust ever happened, as I discuss in my article, “Holocaust Denial: Deceptive hatred”, and it continues a campaign of political manipulation designed to lull the world to sleep while it gains enough strength to attempt its ultimate goal, the destruction of the Jewish state. At this point in time close to 6 million Jewish people now live in Israel. Iran recently instructed Hezbollah not to attack Israel or to fire its missiles into it cities. Their reasoning is that they do not want to make Israel seem like the victim and create more worldwide support.
Their strategy is to progressively build their army, manipulate public opinion, and when they think the time is right attack in devastating fashion. The major difference between now and the 1930s is that today there is a strong and organized Jewish Army known as the IDF, Israel Defense Forces, and the response and or preemptive strike will be with the might of a nation committed to survival. Hopefully it never comes to that, but if the world and a comfortable Jewish populous turns a blind eye similar to that of the 1930s, the conflict and loss of life will be inevitable.
Leave a comment | tags: anti-Semitic, anti-Semitism, Europe, Final Solution, German Jews, Germany, Hezbollah, Holland, Holocaust, Holocaust denial, IDF, Iran, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Jews, Kristallnacht, Nazi, Nazi Germany, Night of Broken Glass | posted in Uncategorized
When I stopped and realized that I had not made a new post in 3 days, the first thing I wondered was if anyone had noticed I had been a bit lazy. Once I got that thought out of my head a new thought came to me which I decided to share on here. It has to do with politics. Or the lack thereof on this site and in reaction to this site and the book Jew Face. I need to reference Facebook because it is there where it is often revealed who is Liberal and who is Conservative. So many have their issues they feel passionately about and on occasion they will express those views with an intensity that might be seen as harsh to some. What strikes me, and entirely in a positive way, is that when it comes to the subjects discussed on here, such as the Holocaust, survival, and the war on hatred and Holocaust denial, there are only positive responses. This does not surprise me in the least. What it does is highlight the fact that two people can disagree passionately on important social and economic issues and still be equally decent and caring towards their fellow-man. Social media has its flaws, but it also has the capability of revealing the common good in man regardless of their political viewpoints. Hopefully it will also help people choose their friends based on their actions, not on their political opinions.
Leave a comment | tags: Conservative, economic issues, Facebook, hatred, Holocaust, Holocaust denial, Jew Face, liberal, political opinions, politics, social issues, Social media, survival | posted in Uncategorized
Thank you to one of my Facebook friends for posting this article about Holland in ynetnews.com. It tackles the issue of Holocaust denial and in some of its categorizations of the Dutch made me feel compelled to respond. I hope my response gets posted, but just in case, here is a link to the original post, followed by my response.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4226056,00.html
This article was of great interest to me, particularly since on Wednesday it will be 4 weeks since the release of my book, “Jew Face: A story of love and heroism in Nazi-0ccupied Holland.”
There is no condoning the activities Dr. Gerstenfeld spoke of in Vorden and Amsterdam, but I would like to offer a slightly broader perspective. Holland is a nation of close to 17 million people, of which the majority is Catholic and Protestant. There is a growing Muslim population and an almost non-existent Jewish population. There is anti-Semitism taking place regularly in almost every nation on the planet. The problem that exists in Holland is that in an attempt to be super liberal, some Dutch citizens may show a lapse in judgment and sensitivity.
I do not believe that labeling Holland as a nation that stands out in attempting to brush away the memory of the Holocaust is a fair categorization. I also feel that some credit needs to be given to the Dutch for their overall treatment of the Jewish people. The only time in modern history where living as a Jew was uncomfortable in Holland was when the nation was under Nazi occupation. The righteousness of much of the non-Jewish Dutch population during World War II made it possible for many to survive that otherwise might not have. I also speak of this in my book and it is the reason that the website I created to discuss issues surrounding the book is called Holland’s heroes https://hollandsheroes.com/. So although I respect Dr. Gerstenfeld’s opinion and realize that he and I are likely on the same side as far as our ultimate concerns and goals, I differ strongly in his assessment of Holland.
1 Comment | tags: Amsterdam, anti-Semitism, Catholic, Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld, Dutch, Holland, Hollandse Schouwburg, Holocaust denial, Jewish, liberal, Muslim, Nazi, Protestant, Vorden, World War II, ynetnews.com | posted in Uncategorized
I found the following paragraph on the Anti-Defamation League website regarding the topic of Holocaust denial:
“Holocaust denial, which its propagandists misrepresent as “historical revisionism,” has become one of the most important vehicles for contemporary anti-Semitism. It is the invention of a collection of long-time anti-Semites and apologists for Hitler…” http://www.adl.org/holocaust/introduction.asp
This is a significant problem facing the worldwide Jewish community. The logic is simple. You can’t fight the battle to make sure it never happens again if you have to fight the battle of whether or not it happened in the first place. Hitler’s Germany persecuted the Jews of Europe in systematic fashion. In my upcoming book, “Jew Face: A story of love and heroism in Nazi occupied Holland”, I show how the Nazis destroyed most of the Dutch Jewish community in incremental fashion, ultimately murdering 104,000 of what was a community of close to 150,000 people. The concept of Holocaust denial can only be seen as ultimately having the same goal. The evidence is clear. The photographs are there, the names are there, the personal accounts have been given. To anyone other than the avid anti-Semite, there is no doubt that these atrocities took place. It is my hope that by getting the attention of as many people as possible, I am helping increase awareness of what took place. For if we allow acts of barbarism to be forgotten, we increase the chances of them happening again and again. Not only to the Jewish people, but to innocents all over the world.
Leave a comment | tags: Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitism, Germany, Hitler, Holland, Holocaust denial, Jew Face, Nazi | posted in Uncategorized
When writing a book about a time so significant and devastating to the Jewish people, one has a moral responsibility to acknowledge and honor those who perished from the brutality and suffered the horrors perpetuated by one of the most, if not the most evil governments in the history of civilization. On the surface this seems to be an uncomplicated task, but when confronted with decisions on how to present the story, one must use their own judgment in choosing the means that best accomplish the goals set out in putting pen to paper.
Once on a visit to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I made the comment that although I live my life almost entirely different than the Hasidic Jews that live there, I love going there because when I walk through the neighborhood I realize that with all the death and destruction Hitler orchestrated against the Jewish people, in the end he did not win. Nazi Germany is long gone and the specific threat that it posed to the very existence of the Jewish people no longer exists, but the war of the anti-Semite against the Jewish people has not ended and still needs to be fought. The attempt at intellectualizing Holocaust denial and the efforts by those who wish to accomplish this on a global scale threatens the Jewish people in a deceptive and methodic way. Little by little there is a danger that more and more people will choose to believe that it did not happen and that 6 million Jewish lives were not killed by Hitler’s Germany. In writing this book, and titling it “Jew Face”, even at the risk of offending some of my fellow Jews, I do so with the purpose of getting the attention of as many people as possible. The alarming title will startle people, but if it gets many to read what happened and be aware, then it has served a positive purpose.
You can’t fight fire with smoke. You must fight fire with fire. And if giving this book a title that shocks people and makes them interested in its content I increase awareness of what truly took place, I have been successful in accomplishing the book’s most important task. Honoring the victims and helping the world never forget what took place.
1 Comment | tags: Brooklyn, Hitler, Holocaust denial, Jew Face, Jewish, Nazi Germany, Williamsburg | posted in Uncategorized
Holland's Heroes 