Coping with the Limits of Freedom of Expression: The Zündel Trials and the Rights of Holocaust Deniers

Abstract

In the 1980s and 1990s, free speech scholars all over the world are witnessing a resurgence of public interest in Holocaust denial literature. While some critics argue that the best way to cope with this challenge is to encourage counter speech with maximum protection for the rights of these deniers, other commentators argue that freedom of expression is simply one of many cultural values, and that Holocaust denial threatens the search for truth, self-esteem, ethnic harmony, and social equality. An analysis of the Zundel trials provides researchers with an excellent test case with which to compare the theories and practices of these various approaches to Holocaust denial.

Key Words:

• Denial
• Freedom of Expression
• Holocaust
• Zundel