The Holocaust Historiography Project

Witnesses against mass murder

Witnesses who were at a certain location at a time for which some kind of mass-murder activity has been claimed, but who could not confirm having seen any evidence of it, can rightfully be called witnesses against mass murder. Most of them explained that they found out about this alleged mass murder only after the war, due to the pervasive propaganda campaign unleashed after Germany’s defeat.

Holocaust survivors who insist that they did not know or experience anything confirming the orthodox narrative on mass exterminations are usually ignored by Western societies. After all, if they missed the most important action of their lifetime, who would be interested in their story? As the case of Maryla Rosenthal demonstrates, sometimes these witnesses are put under enormous pressure to remember what everyone expects them to. If they insist too stubbornly that it did not happen, they themselves can become a target of societal persecution, and in many countries even of criminal prosecution.

Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that cases of survivors insisting that they did not know were rarely reported, and never became the attention focus of either media or judicial authorities.

And yet, some conspicuous cases have come to light. The following incomplete list contains the names of former camp inmates who have made statements to this effect, and who are featured in this encyclopedia:

To be completed.