Wilhelm Stäglich
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Stäglich was a World War II
army
officer, later a financial judge in Hamburg
, and a prominent Holocaust denier
.
In 1974 a disciplinary hearing was enacted against Stäglich, then a financial judge, owing to his membership of the far-right NPD
party and his incessant publications in far-right magazines; the result was a forced early retirement with a reduced pension for five years.
In 1979 the Tübingen
-based Grabert published Stäglich's book Der Auschwitz-Mythos - Legende oder Wirklichkeit (The Auschwitz Myth - Legend or Reality), in which he denied the existence of gas chamber
s in the Nazi concentration camps and death camps, and claimed that all documents relating to the Holocaust were forgeries. As early as 1980 this book was seized nationwide on the order of the state court of Stuttgart
, and in 1982 it was placed on a list of materials that may not be distributed to young readers, following a decision by Germany's Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons
. The decision to confiscate the book was upheld by the Federal Court of Justice
in 1983. Following this, the University of Göttingen enacted proceedings against Stäglich in order to formally disaccredit the doctoral degree
he had earned there in 1951.
Eckhard Jesse
, a German political scientist and authority on radical politics, has defended the publication of the book The Auschwitz Myth. Stäglich, he says, was stripped of his doctoral title because it was deemed to be undeserved, following a law dating from 1939. Jesse: "Even those who see his work as anti-Semitic – and here comes the warning – must question these decisions for two reasons. Firstly it is patronising to the public, who are assumed to lack judgement, hardly evidence of liberality; second, the far-right sees the decision as an affirmation, and outsiders might also believe, that there 'must be something' to Stäglich's arguments. You get the impression an example is being made [of Stäglich]."
Stäglich appeared together with Jürgen Rieger
as a speaker at a far-right event commemorating the Holocaust denier Thies Christophersen
, who died in 1997.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
officer, later a financial judge in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, and a prominent Holocaust denier
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
.
In 1974 a disciplinary hearing was enacted against Stäglich, then a financial judge, owing to his membership of the far-right NPD
National Democratic Party of Germany
The National Democratic Party of Germany – The People's Union , is a far right German nationalist party. It was founded in 1964 a successor to the German Reich Party . Party statements self-identify as Germany's "only significant patriotic force"...
party and his incessant publications in far-right magazines; the result was a forced early retirement with a reduced pension for five years.
In 1979 the Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
-based Grabert published Stäglich's book Der Auschwitz-Mythos - Legende oder Wirklichkeit (The Auschwitz Myth - Legend or Reality), in which he denied the existence of gas chamber
Gas chamber
A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. The most commonly used poisonous agent is hydrogen cyanide; carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide have also been used...
s in the Nazi concentration camps and death camps, and claimed that all documents relating to the Holocaust were forgeries. As early as 1980 this book was seized nationwide on the order of the state court of Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, and in 1982 it was placed on a list of materials that may not be distributed to young readers, following a decision by Germany's Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons
Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien
The Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons is an upper-level German federal agency subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. It is responsible for examining media works allegedly harmful to young people and entering these onto an...
. The decision to confiscate the book was upheld by the Federal Court of Justice
Federal Court of Justice of Germany
The Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction in Germany. It is the supreme court in all matters of criminal and private law...
in 1983. Following this, the University of Göttingen enacted proceedings against Stäglich in order to formally disaccredit the doctoral degree
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
he had earned there in 1951.
Eckhard Jesse
Eckhard Jesse
Professor Eckhard Jesse is a German political scientist. He holds the professorship for "political systems, political institutions" at the Technical University of Chemnitz. Jesse is one of the best known German political scholars in the field of extremism and terrorism studies...
, a German political scientist and authority on radical politics, has defended the publication of the book The Auschwitz Myth. Stäglich, he says, was stripped of his doctoral title because it was deemed to be undeserved, following a law dating from 1939. Jesse: "Even those who see his work as anti-Semitic – and here comes the warning – must question these decisions for two reasons. Firstly it is patronising to the public, who are assumed to lack judgement, hardly evidence of liberality; second, the far-right sees the decision as an affirmation, and outsiders might also believe, that there 'must be something' to Stäglich's arguments. You get the impression an example is being made [of Stäglich]."
Stäglich appeared together with Jürgen Rieger
Jürgen Rieger
Jürgen Rieger was a Hamburg lawyer, and deputy chairman of the National Democratic Party of Germany , known for his Holocaust denial....
as a speaker at a far-right event commemorating the Holocaust denier Thies Christophersen
Thies Christophersen
Thies Christophersen , a farmer by upbringing, was a prominent German Holocaust denier.-Christophersen and the "Auschwitz Lie":...
, who died in 1997.
External links
- Wilhelm Stäglich: Der Auschwitz-Mythos Holocaust-Referenz: Argumente gegen Auschwitzleugner.