It was a wonderful line from author and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt, speaking to Ryan Tubridy this morning. And although prompted by her recollection of events which took place in the early 1990s, the words are more relevant than ever in the second decade of the new millennium.
Deborah E. Lipstadt rose to prominence with her 1993 book, Denying the Holocaust, where she focused on a small but growing movement of people questioning whether Nazi atrocities against Jewish and other peoples ever took place, or minimising or downgrading the significance of these well-documented crimes against humanity.
One of her targets in this book was author and Holocaust denier, David Irving, who subsequently sued her for libel. The events surrounding this case are the subject of a new movie, Denial, in which Deborah E. Lipstadt is played by Rachel Weisz, and David Irving played by Timothy Spall.
At one point, David Irving actually offered to settle the case, an idea never taken seriously by Deborah E. Lipstadt, even though some people close to her felt it was worthy of consideration.
“I would have had to sign a piece of paper saying I hereby apologise to David Irving for claiming he’s a Holocaust denier.”
On top of that, a possible settlement would have involved a contribution to a charity of Mr Irving’s choice, and a commitment to pulp all the remaining unsold copies of her books in which she pointed the finger at David Irving.
“I couldn’t do that and look a survivor of the Holocaust in the face, look the child of a Holocaust survivor in the face, or look in the face of anybody who believes in truth, who believes that you don’t play with facts, that there are certain things that are true and you just don’t negotiate on them.”
Deborah E. Lipstadt was adamant that the facts of history should be honoured and respected, a notion of huge relevance today, with members of the public increasingly bombarded with spin, twisted versions of history, outright lies, or what have been recently termed “alternative facts”. Much of this twisting the truth takes place against a background of outright prejudice, and Deborah E. Lipstadt has some strong words to say on that subject.
“Think about the etymology of the word prejudice. Pre-judge. I have made up my mind, don’t confuse me with the facts. I see someone I know, they're shiftless and lazy, I see another person I know they are rich and powerful and conniving, I see a pretty young blonde woman I know she is dumb. Some people laugh at that, but it’s the same type of prejudice.”
She went on.
“Prejudice is a horrible thing, it destroys the person who is the subject of it.”
Denial is in cinemas now, and is based on Deborah E. Lipstadt’s book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier. To listen to the full interview, click here.