The Holocaust Industry

Norman G. Finkelstein

Do you know one of those people who lives in the world where they can say that Elie Wiesel's Night should still be marketed as nonfiction because even though he "stretched some of the facts," the book still deals with the "greater truth of the Holocaust"? While I know your strongest desire is probably to smack this person, a more productive (and less alienating) alternative is to give that person your copy of The Holocaust Industry-- because you do own one, don't you? After that person has read it, have the Wiesel discussion again and see if the tune sounds a few more sour notes than before.

The Holocaust Industry, in three long chapters, takes an unflinching look at the way a number of influential Jews (and one enterprising Gentile, who has to be admired for his, dare I say it, chutzpah) have taken the events of World War II Germany and turned them into what is, basically, a media juggernaut capable of steamrolling over anything in its path. (After all, the myth that the Holocaust was unique to the Jews is capable of being debunked by anyone who reads a history book, and has as much validity as the ravings of Holocaust deniers, yet it persists, unquestionable, in our minds despite our knowledge of its untruth. What kind of power does that require?) Being Jewish himself, Finkelstein takes a novel approach to his offense at their antics; he sees the machinations of the Holocaust Industry as demeaning the actual Holocaust survivors. (And rightly so.) It should be noted in passing that any Gentile who'd attempted to write this book would have been crucified, in the press at least, for being anti-Semitic. Not that Finkelstein has completely gotten away with it, but he's gotten off with a much cleaner record than, say, I would have. This is a good thing, as Finkelstein's got a lot more to say. (He's got a new book coming out in a few months, as I write this.)

This is good stuff, well worth reading. Not just as a condemnation of Elie Wiesel and his cronies, though that alone is more than enough reason for every thinking human being to pick this up and devour it at his earliest opportunity, but also as an interesting case study of how someone can take exaggerated (and, in some cases, patently untrue) claims and, with the assistance of the media, make "truths" of them. (The discerning reader will want to look at how the anti-smoking lobby has done the same thing over the past decade with just as much offense and disgust.) Recommended.