Forget-You-NotForget-You-NotHolocaust Survivors and Remembrance Project
preserving the past to protect the future...

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A Critical Assessment
On the Current Mainstream Definitions of the Holocaust

by
K. K. Brattman
Managing Editor
February 3, 2006

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III. Concluding Remarks

The Holocaust concept for sure is a complex one but by no means "elusive, uncontained, a putative mystery." How such a preposterous course on the History of the Holocaust, as the one of Dr. Feinstein, was able to survive for so many years unchallenged is perhaps indicative of the current state of the academia when Jewish studies are involved. If a non-Jewish scholar (of equal if not superior standing) would have challenged the content of Dr. Feinstein's course, then that scholar would have been immediately ostracized and labeled as a Holocaust denier and/or propagating the anti-Semitism. For all practical purposes that scholar would have faced an upheaval battle jeopardizing for sure the scholar's entire career. If, on the other hand, a Jewish scholar would get involved in criticizing a Holocaust course of a substandard level as the one offered by Dr. Feinstein, then that is also a risky proposition unless a consensus of a great number of Jewish scholars can be secured in advance. So the safest course in the academia in today's world with the litigation that looms continuously over one's head, is to close one eye and, when necessary, to close both eyes --as to do otherwise is simply not worthy.

That "academic" approach of comfort and security (versus continuous scrutiny) is the cardinal mortal sin for the advancement of any science as without daring to challenge and probing your teachers and teachings no advancement of any sort is possible.

The Holocaust is a much too important subject to be left entangled in the complexity of World War II atrocities that was a part of. As such, in all our humbleness, we brought in here the issue concerning the definition of the Holocaust that, in our considerate view, needs further be analyzed and scrutinized for a uniform scholarly representation and characterization, as its complete understanding is paramount for the advancement of the Holocaust studies everywhere.

Respectfully submitted,

K. K. Brattman
Managing Editor

Dated: February 3, 2006


Dr. Stephen Feinstein

  
Dr. Feinstein
PS-1. An open invitation to Dr. Feinstein has been given to respond to this study as he sees fit. We will make every effort to post his reply, if any, as soon as possible and, of course in full.

PS-2. We just have received a reply from Dr. Feinstein in his email of February 3, 2006, addressed to this editor, that is posted in full below:

"enjoy yourself--its a form of masturbation."

PS-3. As a result of this study, we are now being ranked No. 1 in Dr. Feinstein's Blacklist. [sic!]

 

On March 4, 2008, Dr. Stephen Feinstein, 65, died unexpectedly of
a brain aortic aneurysm (that resulted in a heart attack) while speaking
at The Sabes Foundation Minneapolis Jewish Film Festival.
May he rest in peace.
[Source: University of Minnesota News.]

 

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A Notable "Reaction" from the Academia
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   From Texas University Professor, Dr. Ian Hancock:
[February 5, 2006]

VERY interesting!!

In my own classes on the Holocaust, I define it as the implementation of the directive(s) of the Final Solution, the ultimate purpose of which was to eradicate genetic "contaminants" in the gene pool being engineered for the creation of a "master race."

The Nuremberg Laws were specifically for determining who qualified and who didn't. This does justify the inclusion of the mentally and physically handicapped, and -- if it were thought to be a genetic condition and not a social one -- homosexuality would qualify. However, homosexuals were given the option of "changing their ways," and female homosexuals in general weren't targeted at all.

As for the "Final Solution," there were only the "entgultige Loesung der Judenfrage" and the "entgultige Loesung der Zigeunerfrage," but no Final solution of the Polish, Jehovah's Witness, etc. questions. But our principal concern, in my opinion, should be that such an awful event, costing the lives of many groups, should never be allowed to happen again.

Sadly, the mass-scale murders of human groups didn't end in 1945.

With best wishes,

Ian Hancock

Editor's Note: Dr. Ian Hancock is internationally recognized as a foremost authority in the Holocaust studies --in general, and in the Porrajmos studies --in particular. Dr. Hancock is the only Romani to have been appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Among Dr. Hancock's landmark Holocaust papers, we post in here these two:

[Additional papers of Dr. Hancock are posted in
our Sect. VI-1, "Selected Readings," and in Sect. IV-2, Romani/Gypsy Holocaust.]

<> Editor's Questions on the Origin of Terms Employed in the Romani Holocaust Studies with Answers by Dr. Ian Hancock

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