What is the difference between the assassination of Heydrich and the assassination of the three elite members of the Assad regime?

On June 4 1942, Reinhard Heydrich, author of the Final Solution (responsible for the Holocaust), died from an assassination attempt that had taken place on May 24.

Heydrich was head of the Nazi Security apparatus, and his death had been organised by the British Special Operations, in collaboration with the Czech Government in exile.

Yesterday, three senior members of the Syrian Assad regime were assassinated, one of whom included the Defence Minister. For the last eighteen months, the Assad regime have been murdering their way through Syria - to do everything possible to destroy the opposition to their dictatorship.  The regime is thought to have a stockpile of nuclear weapons, and there is a strong possibility that they will be used against their opponents.

Given that this is the case, the assassination of the Assad perpetrators of the Syrian massacres  - is as justified as it was to kill Heydrich - another genocidalist, in 1942.
 
by Robert Halfon MP - Working Hard for Harlow.

How Neo-Nazis bought up a German Village

From Der Spiegel

From Bulawayo News

A German friend recently pointed out to me an almost unbelievable article in Der Spiegel magazine (The German version of The Economist).

The report tells a story of how a viilage in Germany has been -literally - purchased by Neo-Nazis, house by house.

Jamel, a rural village in East Germany, appears to be a bastion for Nazi philosophy.  Not only have all the properties been purchased by Nazi-extremists, the village has come under their control.
Just one heroic family remain in the village - in isolated and brave opposition to what has been going on.

Since the Second World War, Germany has made huge progress in dealing with the legacy of Hitler - Holocaust denial is a crime for example.  It does seen astonishing therefore that this village exists under 'neo-Nazi' rule.  As Der Spiegel states, it clearly is a place of intimidation, where shaven headed fascist thugs walk around with impunity:

"Jamel has come to symbolize the fact that there are places in Germany where right-wing extremists can do virtually whatever they want".

Although Jamel is small, what is going on there does suggest that Neo-Nazis - remain a potent force in some parts of Germany.  The Federal Government should not tolerate the Jamel neo-fascists and take action to stop these kind of places from ever being established.

You can read more here.

by Robert Halfon - Working Hard for Harlow.

The cultural vandals at the Proms

As you will see from this Video I found from YouTube, last night, the Proms were disrupted by protesters. The reason was simple: the BBC had dared to invite the renowned conductor Zubin Mehta and the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra to perform at the Royal Albert Hall.

Hard-line pro-Palestinian activists started shouting at the Israelis on stage. It is both sad and fascinating that they saw this act of cultural vandalism as a way of making their opposition to all things Israeli, all too clear. What was heartening was the response of most of the audience, who booed the protesters and shouted 'out, out, out', until they were eventually removed by security.

Cultural vandalism can be quite chilling. Its most extreme proponent in the last Century was Goebbels, who burnt any books with a Jewish association, whether it was the authors or in the writings. Its most stupid is Dunbartonshire Council which has sought to ban Israeli books from its Libraries.

Nevertheless, the fundamentals are the same: an attempt to shut down Jewish culture.

A couple of other points are worth noting: First, Zubin Mehta and the IPO have made great strides in building better relations between Jews and Arabs. Mr Mehta has started a special education project for this purpose - a fact wilfully ignored by the activists. Second, is it not astonishing that whilst President Assad has been murdering his way through Syria, there has been barely a peep of protest from these kind of people. It is just Israel - the only democracy in the Middle East -that is the focus of their hate.

P.S. Apparently, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign called for the Concert to be boycotted. If you want to understand the motivations of the PSC, have a look at this post from the left wing blog 'Harry's Place', here. 

This makes interesting reading as well.


by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

The seamless link in the chain of Holocaust denial starts with the stolen sign in Auschwitz and ends with Ahmadinejad

I mentioned in a previous blog posting, on 25 November, that - through the Holocaust Educational Trust - I had been privileged to meet, Mr Ben Hefglott, a Polish survivor of the concentration camps. After the war was over, Mr Hefglott subsequently became a British Olympic Athlete.

I thought of this great man when reading that the sign above the entrance to Auschwitz 'Arbeit Macht Frei' (work sets you free), had been stolen.

The gates to Auschwitz stood as a testament to the nature of the Nazi regime, and 'Arbeit Macht Frei' represented the means by which the Nazis manipulated the power of words for their own ends.

I have little doubt that the sign was taken by those who wish to deny away the Holocaust - something that has become ever more common place. But this wanton act should not be seen in isolation.

If Holocaust deniers were confined to a handful of Neo-Nazis that would be bad enough. Unfortunately we now have a commentariat and rulers of major countries (such as President Ahmadinejad of Iran), making Holocaust denial a major industry.

The seamless link in the chain is thus made starting in Auschwitz: some thugs steal a major symbol of the concentration camp, some so-called historians try to establish an intellectual framework around the denial, whilst totalitarians around the world are given the armour in which to proclaim the Holocaust is a lie.

But, however many symbols of the genocide are stolen, however many revisionists books are written, as long as we have the testament of survivors like Mr Hefglott, the truth will never be vanquished. 'Truth Conquers All' are three words which will triumph over 'Arbeit Macht Frei'.


Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Meeting a Survivor

I was very privileged today to meet a survivor of the Holocaust, Ben Hefglott. He was a remarkable individual. Having survived the horrors of the Nazi genocide, Mr Hefglott came to England and subsequently became a British Olympian champion - in weightlifting - in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.

I thought to myself how incredible it was that this amazing man, who had been born in a Polish Town, had been a victim of the Nazis. and yet, against all the odds, survived, and achieved great sporting prowess - as well as becoming a successful businessman.

Mr Hefglott - and his sister (also a survivor) - spends much of his time going up and down the country, giving talks to children in a wide range of schools.

I met Mr Hefglott, courtesy of the Holocaust Education Trust, who were holding a reception for Conservative Parliamentary Candidates, with guest speaker and Shadow Cabinet Minister Francis Maude MP.

Mr Maude - who was in Rwanda with me in 2008 - on Project Umubano - made the point that the work of the HET was essential, because, as with other genocides (such as in Rwanda in 1994), there were always revisionists who were ready to deny the existence of the genocide, or pretend that it had been exaggerated.

I was pleased to have been there. It was good to learn of the work of the HET and meet those who had suffered greatly but achieved so much.

Inglourious Basterds - vengeance against evil

Yes, the spelling is correct for this new film about Nazi hunters, which I went to see last night at Harlow Cineworld with Vanda. It was a great effort by Mr Tarantino and definitely his best film yet. A cross between 'The Dirty Dozen', 'Where Eagles dare' and Tarantino previous, the film tells the story of an American Unit sent to decapitate Nazis across Europe, literally, no scalps spared. But there is much more to it than this. There are various extraordinary elements, involving a Jewish survivor, who hatches a plot to burn down a cinema full of senior Nazis. At the same time, The Inglourious Basterds have their own plan to dynamite the cinema, and are supposed to be assisted by a senior officer from England. The main villain of the piece is a very nasty Nazi and 'Jew hunter', Colonel Hans Landa, who is a Himmler mini-me and an evil version of Inspector Poirot, and Columbo combined.

What is really great about this film is not just the originality, Brad Pitt, Christoph Walz, Melanie Laurent & the cinematography and innate quirkiness, but that it makes the case for vengeance - old fashioned revenge. There is no middle way, no 'compassion', just a war between good and evil - and each are determined to kill each other. The good have no compunction in punishing and destroying every Nazi - forgiveness is not an option. I watched it, enjoying the fantasy that the 'Inglourious Basterds' might have really existed and killed Hitler and hundreds of senior Nazis in one fell swoop, thus ensuring an earlier end to the war. Definitely the best film seen so far this year.

By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com