The British historian David Irving was arrested in Vienna and ordered to leave the country after trying to deliver speeches about Rudolf Hess. A decision by the Interior Ministry declared Irving persona non grata in Austria.
Irving intended to speak about Hitler’s deputy, whose 90th birthday is being celebrated by the extreme right all over Europe. A so-called working committee for correct current history had invited Irving to Vienna. The chairman of this committee is a well known figure of the far right.
Irving has been popular among rightists for his thesis that the guilt for the outbreak of the Second World War War is to be shared between Nazi Germany and the Western democracies. Recently Irving served as a historic consultant for Stern magazing in the affair of the forged Hitler diaries, which he claimed to be authentic.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
