Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the negationist and antisemitic fringe claim that Nazi Germany and its collaborators did not commit genocide against European Jews during World War II, ignoring overwhelming historical evidence to the contrary. Deniers assert that the Holocaust is a fabrication or exaggeration, making one or more of the following false claims: that Nazi Germany's "Final Solution" was aimed only at deporting Jews from the Third Reich and did not include their extermination; that Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas chambers for the mass murder of Jews; that the actual number of Jews murdered is significantly lower than the accepted figure of approximately six million; and that the Holocaust is a hoax perpetrated by the Allies, Jews, or the Soviet Union. Holocaust denial has roots in postwar Europe, beginning with writers such as Maurice Bardèche and Paul Rassinier. In the United States, the Institute for Historical Review gave Holocaust denial a pseudo-scholarly platform and helped spread it globally.
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- Before sharing anything on this topic, run it through the fact-checkers above.
- Rely on coroner, court and official investigation records.
- Be wary of 'hidden clue' videos and anniversary-timed rumors.
- Wait for verified reporting from multiple independent outlets.
- Watch for 'crisis actor' claims, which have harmed real victims' families.
- Consult historians and archives (e.g. USHMM, Yad Vashem, UN tribunals).
- Denial is often illegal or harmful; report hateful content on platforms.
- Notice when a claim blames a whole group for a secret plot. That's a classic sign of hate propaganda.
- Check resources from the ADL, SPLC or national equality bodies.
- Report hateful content on the platform where you saw it.
- If someone you know believes it, ask what evidence would change their mind, and share one good source, not ten.
Prevention steps
- StopNotice a strong emotion (anger, fear, 'they don't want you to know') before you share. Pause first.
- Investigate the sourceWho is making the claim, what's their expertise, and what do they gain if you believe it?
- Find better coverageRead laterally: open new tabs and see what independent outlets and fact-checkers say.
- Trace claims to the originFind the original study, video or document. Check dates and whether quotes are cut.
- Ask what would change your mindReal theories can be tested. If every piece of counter-evidence 'proves' the cover-up, it can't be.
- Count the peopleBig secret plots need thousands of people to stay silent for years. That rarely happens.
- Talk, don't mockWith friends or family, ask questions, listen, share your own sources calmly. Shame backfires.
- PrebunkLearn the common tricks (cherry-picking, fake experts, false dilemmas) so you spot them early.