Ernst Zundel was a German-born far-right activist and publisher known for his promotion of Holocaust denial. Born on April 24, 1939, in Germany, Zundel immigrated to Canada in 1958, where he became a prominent figure within the extreme-right movement. He gained international attention for his Holocaust denial activities and the dissemination of anti-Semitic propaganda.
He founded and operated Samisdat Publishers, a publishing company that produced and distributed numerous Holocaust denial books, pamphlets, and literature. Zundel organized conferences and public events to propagate his distorted views, attracting followers and supporters from within the far-right movement.
Zundel's Holocaust denial claims, which he propagated through various mediums, including videos and interviews, assert that the Holocaust was a fabricated event, questioning the existence of gas chambers and the systematic extermination of six million Jews during World War II. These claims have been widely discredited by historians, scholars, and credible research institutions.
His controversial activities led to legal battles in Canada and Germany. In 1985, Zundel was charged with publishing false news, alongside other criminal charges. He was subsequently convicted in Canada and sentenced to prison. In 2003, Zundel was arrested in the United States on immigration charges and was later deported to Canada, where he faced charges of spreading false news and denying crimes against humanity. Eventually, he was extradited to Germany in 2005 and was subsequently convicted for incitement of hatred and Holocaust denial, resulting in a five-year prison sentence.
Ernst Zundel's activities and influence within far-right circles have made him a controversial figure in history, with many condemning his Holocaust denial as deceptive, hateful, and a dangerous distortion of the truth.
