Trial Transcripts

The trial begins with opening statements from David Irving and Richard Rampton.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on a variety of topics, including Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, Irving’s uncritical use of Hitler’s adjutant’s testimony and memoirs after the war, and Irving’s account of the number of victims of the Allies bombing of Dresden in 1945. Richard Rampton also examines David Irving about his relationship to Holocaust denial and begins his examination about Irving’s so-called ‘Chain of Documents’ on which Irving bases his views of the Holocaust. David Irving is also briefly examined by the Court on his association with right wing extremists and Holocaust deniers in Germany.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton about Irving’s so-called ‘Chain of Documents’ on which Irving bases his views of the Holocaust. These documents relate to Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution and the systematic nature of the Final Solution. These include Himmler’s phone log and various communications from Berlin to Riga regarding the mass shooting of Berlin Jews. Other subjects are Irving’s selective use of the perpetrator’s eyewitness testimony and contemporary documents including that of Walter Bruns, Goebbels diaries, Hans Frank, and Dieter Wisleceny.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton about Irving’s so-called ‘Chain of Documents’ on which he bases his views of the Holocaust. The documents relate to Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution and the systematic nature of the Final Solution. These include the Einsatzgruppen’s reports to Berlin on their murderous activities in the East, Himmler’s notes for a meeting with Hitler, Goebbels diaries, and Hitler’s Table Talk. Irving also testifies briefly about his activities in Moscow regarding his access to the Goebbels diaries.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton about Irving’s so-called ‘Chain of Documents’ on which Irving bases his views of the Holocaust. The documents relate to Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution and the systematic nature of the Final Solution. These include Himmler’s interaction with Hitler and Irving’s uncritical use of Hitler’s adjutant’s testimony and memoirs after the war. The documentation of the systematic nature of the Final Solution is traced through the beginning of the use of gas vans at Chelmno, to Operation Reinhard (Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka) and thence to Auschwitz.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on his interpretation of the evidence for the systematic nature of the Holocaust and the true meaning of words such as “deportation,” “evacuation,” “extirpation,” “liquidation,” and others as they applied to the fate of the Jews of Europe. Irving is questioned on whether he agrees that some 97,000 Jews were murdered at Chelmno using gas vans. Irving is also questioned about the matter of whether Hitler ever committed an order for the Holocaust to paper and about the Schlegelberger note.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on his interpretation of the Schlegelberger note, which deals with the fate of the ‘mischlinge’ (half-Jews) in the Reich. Professor Cameron Watt is called and examined by Irving about his views of Hitler’s role in the Final Solution and the Allies’ knowledge of the murderous activities at Auschwitz via intelligence intercepts.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on the documentation for the use of gas chambers at Auschwitz including various legitimate forensic reports, time sheets for workers, orders for gas tight doors and correspondence relating to architectural details. Irving is also questioned about his dismissal of eyewitness evidence of the gas chambers and his uncritical acceptance of the conclusions of the Leuchter Report.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on the documentation for the use of gas chambers at Auschwitz including various legitimate forensic reports and documentation on the design of the crematoria. Professor Jan van Pelt is called by the Defense and is examined by David Irving in the first of almost four days he is to spend on the stand. Professor van Pelt testifies about the construction and implementation of the gas chambers and crematoria at Auschwitz and on the eyewitness testimony regarding their building and use.

David Irving continues to examine Professor Jan van Pelt on the documentation for the use of gas chambers at Auschwitz. The subjects include eyewitness evidence, the use of Zyklon-B, and various construction features such as gas tight doors and corpse elevators.

David Irving continues his examination of Professor Jan van Pelt on the construction of gas chambers at Auschwitz. The subjects include the secrecy involving the Nazis plans, and construction of the crematoria, gas tight doors, chimneys, and the roofs. Professor Van Pelt’s testimony includes photographic evidence. The fate of the Hungarian Jews, who arrived en masse and were largely murdered in early 1944, is also examined.

David Irving calls and examines Professor Kevin McDonald on the subject of antisemitism and its origins. Richard Rampton re-examines David Irving on Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution and the nature and extent of Hitler’s antisemitism. He also questions Irving on his uncritical use of Hitler’s adjutant’s testimony after the war.

Professor Jan van Pelt concludes his testimony. David Irving examines him on the documentation for the gas chambers at Auschwitz and on the eyewitness testimony of Rudolf Hoess, the commandant of Auschwitz. David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on his interpretation of the events surrounding Kristallnacht (November, 9 and 10, 1938) and on the number of victims Irving claims were killed in the bombing raids by the Allies on Dresden in 1945.

Professor Jan van Pelt is examined briefly by Richard Rampton on the documentation for the gas chambers at Auschwitz. David Irving also examines Professor van Pelt on the testimony of Rudolf Hoess, the commandant of Auschwitz, and on the archival documentation available. David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton on his connections with right wing extremists in Germany and presents evidence of Irving’s racism and antisemitism.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton his racism. Peter Millar is called by Irving and questioned regarding Irving’s activities surrounding his use of the Goebbels diaries in Moscow. Peter Millar is briefly examined by Richard Rampton.

David Irving calls and examines Sir John Keegan regarding Irving’s reputation as an historian. Professor Christopher Browning takes the stand for the Defense and is questioned by Irving about his report on the systematic nature of the Final Solution, its development and implementation, and Hitler’s knowledge of it. The testimony focuses on the mass shootings in the East by the Einsatzgruppen.

David Irving examines Professor Christopher Browning on the systematic nature of the Final Solution, specifically its extension to the use of gas vans at Chelmno; the Wannsee Conference in January, 1942; the establishment of the death camps at Sobibor, Treblinka, and Belzec (Operation Reinhard); the scale of the murders; and the perpetrators eyewitness testimony to events in those places. Richard Rampton examines Professor Browning as well on his report.

Professor Richard Evans is called by the Defense to speak to Irving’s reputation as an historian and his treatment of documentary evidence on the Final Solution. In the first of Professor Evan’s six days on the stand, David Irving examines Professor Evans on his report across a wide range of topics including Irving’s reputation with other historians, his admiration of Hitler, his connections with right wing extremists and Holocaust deniers in the United States, and Irving’s historical methodology in general.

Professor Richard Evans is re-called and examined by David Irving on a variety of topics including Irving’s reputation with other historians, his historical methodology, Evans assertion that Irving is a Holocaust denier, Irving’s role in the affair of the forgery of Hitler’s diaries, and the Irving’s assertions about the number of victims of the Final Solution.

The Court questions David Irving to clarify Irving’s position on a number of topics including the documentation for the gas chambers at Auschwitz, the systematic nature and scale of the mass shootings in the East, Irving’s uncritical use of Hitler’s adjutant’s testimony after the war, and Irving’s antisemitism. Professor Richard Evans is re-called and examined by David Irving on his connections with right wing extremists and Holocaust deniers in Germany and the United States, Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, and Hitler’s antisemitism.

Professor Richard Evans is recalled and examined by David Irving regarding Irving’s interpretation of the events of Kristallnacht, including Irving’s use of Goebbels diaries, Hitler’s knowledge and approval of the pogrom. Other topics include Hitler’s antisemitism and the systematic nature of the Final Solution.

Professor Richard Evans is re-called and examined by David Irving on the events of Kristallnacht. Other subjects are Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, specifically in the East. A great deal of time is spent discussing Irving’s translation of German documents relating to the mass shootings in the East and Irving’s interpretation of the Schlegelberger note about the fate of the ‘mischlinge,’ and Hitler’s antisemitism.

Professor Richard Evans is re-called and examined by David Irving on a variety of topics including Irving’s use of the Goebbels diaries, Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, and Irving’s uncritical use of Hitler’s adjutants post-war testimony and memoirs. Other subjects include the fate of the Roman Jews, who were rounded up and murdered in Auschwitz in October, 1934 and Irving’s estimates of the deaths due to the Allies bombing of Dresden in 1945.

Dr. Peter Longerich is called by the Defense and is examined by Richard Rampton regarding Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, and the systematic nature of the Final Solution.

Dr. Peter Longerich is re-called and examined by David Irving regarding Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, and the systematic nature of the Final Solution. Other topics include the expansion of the Final Solution from the mass murders in the East to the use of gas vans at Chelmno, the Wannsee Conference, the establishment of death camps at Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka, and the fate of French Jews.

Dr. Peter Longerich is recalled and examined by David Irving regarding the systematic nature of the Final Solution, Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, and the number of victims at Auschwitz.

Professor Hajo Funke is called by the Defense and is examined by Richard Rampton about Irving’s connections with right wing extremists and Holocaust deniers in Germany. Professor Funke is examined by Irving about the same.

Professor Hajo Funke is examined by David Irving on the nature of Irving’s connections with right wing extremists and Holocaust deniers in Germany.

David Irving is examined by Richard Rampton regarding his connections with right wing extremists in the United States and Great Britain and Irving’s antisemitism. Other subjects include Hitler’s knowledge of the Final Solution, Irving’s selective use of eyewitness testimony, including those of Hitler’s adjutant’s post-war memoirs.

This day is devoted to procedure, specifically the admission and validity of video tapes of his speeches.

This day is devoted to procedure, specifically Irving’s challenge of the documentation presented during the trial.

Closing Statements by Richard Rampton and David Irving.