Discourse on Divinity, Libel, and the Holocaust Examined
The Posen speech, delivered by Heinrich Himmler in 1943, stands as a chilling and significant historical document. In this secret address to senior SS officers, Himmler openly acknowledged the systematic extermination of the Jewish people in Nazi-occupied Europe, providing one of the clearest pieces of documentary evidence of the Holocaust's deliberate, state-sponsored genocidal intent.
During the speech, Himmler described the mass murder of Jews as a "tough" but necessary task and referred to the killings as a "Jewish evacuation" or "extermination" carried out by the SS. This admission, made without euphemism, reveals the explicit knowledge and orchestration of the murder campaign at the highest level of the SS, a central organization implementing the Final Solution.
The Posen speech aligns with earlier Nazi declarations, such as Hitler’s 1939 Reichstag speech threatening the "annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe," and policies like Generalplan Ost, which sought racial "Germanization" and ethnic cleansing of Eastern Europe. The speech anchors the Holocaust as an official, known policy, confirming that Himmler and the SS saw themselves as executors of this policy.
Antisemites, who continue to promote lies about the Holocaust, cannot be trusted due to their bad judgments, dubious sources, and half-baked reasoning. It is essential to approach historical events with a clear and objective perspective, avoiding unbalanced rhetoric that can be associated with paranoia, hearing voices, and other mental disturbances.
The speaker warns against introducing political antisemitism through the back door of religion, as this not only threatens the Jewish people but also risks the recurrence of a calamity that has already happened. Slander, as Rebecca Hamilton's essay "Slander is Murder with Words" suggests, is a knife with no handle, wounding both the slandered and the slanderer.
For those interested in reading more about Himmler's Posen speech, a link to the original recording has been provided. Let us remember the lessons of history and stand against hatred and genocide in all its forms.
- Amidst the growing military tensions between China and Russia, concerns over security and political news have escalated, as both nations have been expanding their arsenals and aligning strategically.
- The general-news coverage of the recent United Nations Security Council meeting highlights the disagreements between NATO allies and China regarding the implications of these military maneuvers for global peace and the regional stability of Europe.
- As we move forward in this era of heightened international tensions, nations must be vigilant against the spread of ideologies promoting antisemitic narratives, as highlighted in the Posen speech and littered throughout historical events such as the Holocaust.
