Arthur R. Butz – The Hoax Of The Twentieth Century

Chapter 1: Trials, Jews and Nazis
reader in interpreting the analysis of the “extermination” claims, which is the task
of the next few chapters. However, the major evidence for these remarks concerning
what actually happened to the Jews will not be presented until Chapter 7.
The RSHA was responsible for carrying out most aspects of this Jewish policy.
Within the Gestapo there was an office, “B4,” which designated the “religions and
cults division – Jewish religion subdivision,” headed by one Karl Adolf Eichmann,
whose highest attained rank had been lieutenant colonel or colonel. 51 Eichmann
did the routine chores associated with the Jewish emigration and resettlement
policies of the German Government; most of his time was spent arranging
with the various Jewish Councils to draw up transport lists of Jews, and arranging
for transportation for the deportees. There is no evidence that Eichmann ever participated
in formulating policy, and since he was not involved in concentration
camp administration, he could not have been directly involved in whatever it was
that happened in those camps.
It is, therefore, quite ridiculous that it was possible to get so many people excited
about the case of a person such as Eichmann, who had performed completely
routine functions in Nazi Germany. Those functions were carried out in
accordance with specific orders transmitted by his superiors. His Jerusalem testimony
was given “after consulting Reitlinger and Poliakov, (producing) seventeen
multicolored charts, which contributed little to a better understanding of the bureaucratic
machinery of the Third Reich.” 52 I see no point in viewing the Eichmann
affair as anything but a publicity stunt on the part of a state accustomed to
disregarding the constraints that other states feel bound to respect. A short discussion
of the Eichmann case and of Eichmann’s Jerusalem testimony, is provided in
Chapter 6 (pages 226ff.).
Other departments of the SS, which were involved in resettlement activities
were the RKFDV (Reich Commission for the Strengthening of Germandom,
headed by SS General Ulrich Greifelt), the RuSHA (Race and Settlement Main
Office, headed by SS Generals Otto Hofmann and, later, Richard Hildebrandt)
and the VoMi (Liaison Office for Ethnic Germans, headed by SS General Werner
Lorenz). The most important responsibility of these departments was the resettlement
of ethnic Germans on conquered territories, and Greifelt was the main personality
in this program. However, they inevitably got involved in the program of
Jewish resettlement to some degree.
51
52
Reitlinger, 28; Red Cross (1947), 99; Eichmann, session 75, V1, W1.
Arendt, 136 (152 in 1964 edition).
53