Holocaust-denying Bishop's lawyer pulls out of case ahead of trial
British Bishop Richard Williamson charged with denying in television interview that the Nazis systematically murdered millions of Jews.
The lawyer representing British Bishop Richard Williamson in a German trial over his denial of the extent of the Holocaust unexpectedly pulled out of the case on Wednesday, weeks before it was scheduled to go to court.
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British Bishop Richard Williamson. |
| Photo by: Archive |
Williamson, of the ultra-orthodox Catholic Society of St Pius X (SSPX), denied in a television interview last year that the Nazis had systematically murdered millions of Jews.
The interview, for a Swedish television channel, took place in Germany, where Holocaust denial is a criminal offence.
The court in the southern German town of Regensburg is now to decide next week whether to postpone the trial, scheduled for November 29.
Williamson's defense lawyer, Matthias Lossmann, told German Press Agency dpa that they had "amicably ended" their cooperation, indicating that this was in part due to Williamson's decision to hire another lawyer. He said the name would soon be made public.
"You will then see why I no longer feel called for," he added.
Williamson's remarks shook the Catholic church last year, as Pope Benedict XVI had ended the excommunication of Williamson and three other SSPX leaders weeks earlier.
In the TV interview, Williamson stated that no more than 300,000 people had died in concentration camps, and that nobody was killed in gas chambers.
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A criminal offense? Seriously? Denial of Christ is not a criminal offense. Denial of the slaughter of Christians throughout all of history is not a criminal offense. Denial of any injustice to any group - atheist, Jewish, Christian, black, white - is not a criminal offense, but to even suggest less than 6 million Jews were killed and you can be fined? Thanks thought police for being so selective in what is and what is not a criminal offense. I hope that list doesn't expand or we're all in for it.
It is natural to think that there might have been an error in figures given certain groups tendency to exaggerate the facts. However, a thought might remain a hypothesis until proven to be a law. Where did he get his data from? It seems that he does not have any figures better than what is presently known. So to make such a statement without getting the facts is not wise. In any event, the loon at Iran is not going to convince me that the Holocaust did not happen. And to make a law against this is absurd. Would you imagine making it illegal to deny Christ?
This man is insane and shoud be thrown out of the Cathloic church. I'm Catholic and can't understand why he is still a bishop. How can any one deny such a horrific thing that murdered millions of human beinngs.
Given that the world's population of Jews after WW II was six million less than before WW II, how would he explain these figures? Did the Jews all move to the moon?
otherwise he will always have a case
Why don't we have a big public forum where these crazy deniars must SCIENTIFICLY prove their claims? A law against denial only makes the Jewish people look like they have something to hide and they certainly do not. The vast majority of the public will listen to reason and the crazies will be humiliated. Hiding behind police and the courts only gives strength to the deniars.
Fortunately now Israel and Jewish People have enough muscle to deal with these subhuman debries...
psychology of the mind-set of the holocaust denier. How does the mind bend the facts and create its own truths ? How do they use revisionist ideas to strengthen their arguments ? A historical over-view of other holocaust denial topics, e.g. catholic church, south and north american indians, colonization of africa (belgian congo), marxist revolution etc. If this issue and mechanism is not understood by the common people and become part international education and a healthy upbringing, then politicians can keep on manipulating the masses for their private gains. Shalom.
Having been a member of the Flat Earth Society for a lifetime, I can well understand the mindset of these folks.
Many persons are licensed by authorities and a condition of that license is adherance to the truth as veracity is always an issue. E.G. A lawyer may not publically refute a final judgment even as a personal comment. Germany admits to genocide, a self-judgment, and denies its citizens and visitors the right to dispute this admission of guilt on its soil. Admission of wrongdoing is the first step toward prevention of future crime and is a major state interest hence is illegal and justified.