History on Trial: My Day in Court with David Irving

Deborah E. Lipstadt

2005

I had just finished teaching a class on the history of the Holocaust. Relaxed and upbeat, I was scheduled to talk to a student about her graduate work and then spend the afternoon finishing a book proposal on my new research project—a study of how the Holocaust was represented in post–World War II America. As I came into my office, my secretary…

Please login or register for free access to Posen Library

Already have an account?

Engage with this Source

From the Curator

This source offers a glimpse into Lipstadt’s decision, later captured in the 2016 movie Denial, to fight the charge against her in the British High Court, where she would need to prove her claims about the systematic distortion of the historical record by a famous Holocaust denier.

British law puts the burden of proof on the defendant to demonstrate that the person who brings the libel case did indeed do what the defendant accused them of doing. Despite the long odds, Lipstadt refused to settle. A settlement would have prevented the refutation of efforts to question the historical validity of the systematic murder of millions of Jews during World War II.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think some Jewish leaders encouraged Lipstadt to settle her case before going to court?
Why did Lipstadt feel that she had “no choice” but to reject this advice and make the risky decision to defend her claims in a court trial?
Do you think Lipstadt made the correct decision? Why or why not?

Creator Bio

Deborah E. Lipstadt

b. 1947

Brought up in New York, Deborah E. Lipstadt is a professor of modern Jewish and Holocaust studies at Emory University. Lipstadt’s research and publications address issues related to Holocaust denial. Lipstadt served for two terms on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, and is a recipient of the National Jewish Book Award. In 2021,she was nominated to be the first United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism.

Details

History on Trial: My Day in Court with David Irving

Engage with this Source

Language:

Places:

Categories:

Subjects:

You may also like

History on Trial: My Day in Court with David Irving

Engage with this Source

Language:

Places:

Categories:

Subjects:

You may also like

“Children of Poland”

Next Pesach: Literacy and Identity in Religious Zionist Women