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16.02.2009

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Holocaust | 10.02.2009

Holocaust Revisionist Put Under Pressure by Church, Courts

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Church leaders aren't the only ones calling on Williamson to retract his
denial of the Holocaust

The superior of an ultra-conservative Society
of St. Pius X called on Richard Williamson to "correct" his denial of the
Holocaust. The move comes as Argentina, where Williamson resides, filed suit
against him.

Bernard Fellay, who heads the
ultra-conservative Society of St. Pius X, said Richard Williamson "should study
the historical facts quickly and correct his false statements -- the sooner the
better," the online version of the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported Tuesday, Feb.
10.

There has been outrage,
especially in Germany, over Williamson's claim to a Swedish television
interviewer that there had been no gas chambers at Nazi concentration camps and
"only 200,000 to 300,000" Jews had died in the camps.

Fellay, 50, said he told
Williamson to "correct this nonsense" as soon as he saw the interview.

"It should not have needed a
papal demand to do so," Fellay said, adding that he had suspended Williamson as
head of the SSPX seminary at La Reja, Argentina, on Jan. 31. "I have
forbidden him to make further public statements without my permission."

Possible prison sentence

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Williamson could face up to three
years in an Argentinean prison

Legal charges were also leveled
against Williamson on Tuesday in Argentina. He is accused of denying the
Holocaust, according to evidence brought to Judge Julian Ercolini's
attention.

The head of Argentina's National
Institute Against Discrimination (INADI), Maria Jose Lubertino, said Williamson
would have to correct or confirm his claims and could potentially face other
legal charges.

"He is obliged to clarify the
veracity of his claims," Lubertino said, according to the AFP news agency. "We
are going to make a formal legal complaint and he may face up to three years in
prison."

Last week, Williamson told Der Spiegel he would reexamine the
historical evidence before reaching a decision on whether to apologize.

"If I find proof I would rectify
(earlier statements)... But all that will take time," he said, adding that he
would not travel to Auschwitz.

Calls for police surveillance of
SSPX

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:
Pope Benedict had hoped to reunited
the Church by lifting the four bishops' excommunication

Fellay, Williamson and two other
SSPX bishops were re-admitted to the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI
two weeks ago to end a 21-year schism with an estimated 600,000
ultra-traditionalist Catholics who had refused to follow the pope.

SSPX, which opposes much of the
religious doctrine put in place by the Second Vatican Council, is active in
Germany, where it is opposed by most official Catholic bishops.

The lay people's committee of the
Catholic diocese of Paderborn called Tuesday for SSPX groups to be put under
police surveillance to establish if they were a threat to democracy in
Germany.

Several politicians in
the Social Democratic and Greens parties endorsed the call.

DW staff (sms)

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DW-WORLD.DE

DW-WORLD: Bishop Who Denied Holocaust Loses Court
Battle in Germany

Williamson, the
British-born Catholic who denies the evidence for the Holocaust, lost a court
case in Germany, in which he tried to prevent the broadcasting of his views.
(10.02.2009)

DW-WORLD: British-Born Holocaust Denier Ousted by His
Seminary

The troubles
haven't ended for the British-born cleric whose comments about the Holocaust
caused such a controversy that the Pope and German chancellor became involved.
His seminary in Argentina has disowned him. (09.02.2009)

DW-WORLD: Chancellor Merkel Tries to Patch Up
Differences With Pope Benedict

German Chancellor
Merkel and Pope Benedict XVI spoke by telephone to set aside their differences
over a Holocaust denial by an ultra-conservative bishop. Spokespeople said the
talk was marked by "mutual respect." (08.02.2009)

Feedback

Feedback: Do you think Williamson
should face legal charges for his statements? Send us an e-mail. Please
include your name and country in your reply.

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