Professor Richard Evans | Cambridge Union

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Richard J Evans was Regius Professor of History and President of Wolfson College at Cambridge until his recent retirement. He is currently Provost of Gresham College, London. He is the author of numerous books on Nazi Germany and on historiography, including “In Defence of History”. He was an expert witness in the libel trial recently made into a Hollywood movie titled “Denial”.
ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE UNION: From its small beginnings as a debating society, the Cambridge Union is the oldest debating society in the world and the largest student society in Cambridge. The Union remains a unique forum for the free exchange of ideas and the art of public debate.

[@mcgubligan5045]

I suppose I should be thankful for this being uploaded. It's just that I was very interested to find out Prof. Evans's' recollections of the Irving vs. Lipstadt trial, but I only found this by sheer luck, years after the event. Why on Earth wasn't the topic of the talk included in the title of this vid., so it would be easier to find?

[@brucevilla]

Thanks for Uploading.

[@GodlessScummer]

Excellent talk. I have read Professor Evans book "Telling Lies About Hitler" about the Irving vs Lipstadt and Penguin Books trial. Professor Evans absolutely eviscerates Irving's work in that book .

[@fabioq6916]

Absolutely. Irving was a good archivist who dug up a kot of i formation and was a veritable authority on minutiae of Nazism. When it xame to writing actual history, he was an abominable and deliberate dissembler who distirted the detail to serve his agenda of exhonerating Hitler. For that, he cannot claim to be an historian. Rather, he is a propagandist for Hitler and a mendacious one at that.

[@dubbelkastrull]

39:18 bookmark

[@dimitrioskantakouzinos8590]

I found this video looking for Richard Evans' position on the persecution of David Irving for his writings. I'm pleased that he is opposed to it, though I'd have liked it if the opposition was also based on principle as well as his belief that it actually aids Holocaust deniers by giving them publicity.

[@bartlettbigx]

David Irving hasn't been persecuted by anyone. He's simply been revealed to be a liar, a distorter of the historical record, a racist, and a neo-Nazi.

[@GrantLeeEdwards]

I’ve no respect for Irving, & none for those who ban books. In my personal experience, Ebay has been increasingly vigilant about removing listings of Irving’s books, as well as Mein Kampf. It’s often defended in the U.S. on the basis of the right of a corporation to set its own policies. Fair enough, but Ebay & Amazon operate primarily as platforms for smaller sellers to list their products for sale. They shouldn’t be permitted to decide this for the sellers. They can add a disclaimer to listings they don’t wish to endorse, but outright bans are inherently anti-democratic.

[@bartlettbigx]

There are dozens of Irving's books on ebay as I type.

[@user-rg9yz5ou4y]

As one of Shakespeare's characters says, "the law is an ass,"

[@johnlarkin3821]

"The law is a ass - a idiot" - Mr Bumble, in Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickins

[@rezzob]

I think David Irving is a troubled man to put it mildly, but a bit interesting how an unknown academic got princess Diana’s divorce lawyer and a team of paid professionals (including yourself).

[@williambent9636]

who is the unknown academic? :Libstadt? read her book (most important in its field to date) when it came out. Evans? have 5 of his books, all important, several classic. Irving? well known, but not a historian, a falsifier of history.

[@Sheehan1]

He’s been dining out on this for 20 years

[@victormanuelgarciazelaya9073]

seems fair to me

[@sevans606]

Hardly

[@Ted_Eddy]

It's a fascinating case..The truth of the Holocaut on trial.. the fine detail proved Irvine wrong.

[@garetcrossman6626]

It's unfortunate that this speaker is so highly regarded. He's somewhat of a journeyman.

[@Ted_Eddy]

A journeyman? You make him sound like a footballer not a prominent professor of modern history at Cambridge. In fairness his books are more enjoyable than his lectures.

[@keithad6485]

You appear to have read books by Evans. Have you read any of Irving's books? If no, this has the appearance of a closed mind. @@Ted_Eddy

[@keithad6485]

Why do academics such as Evans need to add 'he was not university trained'? when talking about other historians. I think this is a snide way of denigrating the competition. Made me suspicious of Evans's claims right from the start. I have more respect for some one who has learned from the HK University (Hard Knocks University) than so called university trained academics. Has the spotlight been put on Evans's works to discover his errors or bias? When any one uses the phrase 'holocaust denier' as Evans did several times in this video, my eyes glaze over. It is a pat all encompassing throwaway line aimed at denigrating another person without having to justify the use of the phrase. Irving is recorded as having said the figure of six million deaths is probably about right. So why did Evans call him a holocaust denier? I do wish people would stop using this phrase, it will only encourage others to use the opposite phrase 'holocaust hysteric' for people who accept without question, the generally accepted facts concerning the murders and maltreatment of the millions of jews, christians, communists, gypsies and other despised minorities in German controlled territories. I have read some of Irving's books and books by other historians such as Beevor to get a hopefully balanced view of events of WW2. I looked for citations from the first Beevor book to see for myself from where Beevor derived his conclusions and was shocked he had not included any references. Irving may or may not have been fulsome in his citations as Evans claims but at least they were there. Evans talks like he is an expert on courtroom procedure. Is he legally trained with much experience in conducting court cases as an advocate (not talking about a friend of the court or witness or a party to the case)? First duty to the court? I have seen this in action, friends of the court may still have their own agenda and can present their opinion in an undisclosed biased way. It is clear to me Evans detests Irving and it is human nature to spin your presentation against some one disliked. I think it false to celebrate victory in court when the victorious side poured so much money (millions) into their presentation of their case and were up against a self represented litigant who did not know how to avoid the legal land mines and the dirty lawyer tricks such as dumping loads of documents on Irving with little time to prepare for the next hearing. It appears Irving did not know to submit a request to the High Court for an adjournment to give him reasonable time to read through that load of documents, seek advice and prepare his response. I have been in the UK High Court as a self represented litigant several times and for someone not familiar with fighting a court case, it is scary which affected how I presented my case. I was lucky with one hearing, High Court Justice Lady Roberts was diligent in carrying out her duty to assist me in presenting my case in making sure both parties were on an even playing field and that the hearing was conducted fairly. The opposing party QC was fuming as she was expecting a walk over with me not represented. Outside the court room, she was quite nasty towards me. I kept my cool and did not react to her nastiness which appeared to be aimed in getting me upset and angry.

[@bartlettbigx]

So Evans stating a fact (Irving hasn't been to university) make you suspicious? That makes absolutely no sense at all. Doesn't the fact that Irving mianipultes the historical record, lies and misleads make you suspicious of Irving? I have no sympathy for Irving re the libel trial. He brought it in the first place. Lipstadt and Penguin were the defendants, Irving the plaintiff. Of course they were right to celebrate a victory for truth against such a loathsome man.

[@keithad6485]

@@bartlettbigx Your last sentence says it all, the reason for your essay. I don't bother getting into discussions with closed minded people. I am not a supporter of Irving nor a detractor. I use clear thinking and examine the facts, provable facts.

[@keithad6485]

I will take Evans seriously when he writes a book to counter Irving's book Hitler's War so Evans's book can be judged against Irving's book.

[@williambent9636]

read his The Coming of the Third Reich, The Third Reich In Power, and The Third Reich at War, also Lying about Hitler, In Defense of History, The Third Reich in History and Memory and the Hitler Conspiracies. Also countless journal articles in peer reviewed journals.

[@keithad6485]

Thank you for your reply. I do wished you have read my comment more carefully. Because I was writing about a one on one, paragraph by paragraph counter to HItler's War with citations to actual historical documents as Irving has done. I suspect Evans has professional envy of Irving and Irving's unparalleled access to people who were actually in many of the events he wrote about, or, Evans may have an academic's disdain of, and looks down upon, those who are not academics. Typically. as far as i can see, academics such as Evans are desk bound and cite other authors which in itself is not proof of historical events. I am not defending Irving on a personal level, but, I am stating I have more respect for anyone like Irving who has actually walked the ground, cites original documents takes the time to hunt for documents and other evidence and who have interviewed those with first hand experience of historical events rather than taking the lazy route of quoting the works of other academics. Who has Evans interviewed from WW2 Germany? I am guessing none. It appears to me that it is fashionable to attack Irving which many do, apparently feeling safe in the knowledge they wont be held accountable as he is an easy target. It is easy to kick someone who is down and despised. It seems to me Evans is putting in the boot as well. I have no respect for anyone who puts in the boot when the person who is being attacked is shunned and on the outer of society. @@williambent9636

[@williambent9636]

yes, lying about hitler does this, if not paragraph by paragraph. it demolishes Irving as a historian. no footnote can be trusted, no translation, no interpretation. read hitler's war when it came out when i was a high school student. also read his rommel book dresden book, warpath. all are completely unreliable. when teaching history at CSU the textbook still repeated Irving's lies about dresden.@@keithad6485

[@GrantLeeEdwards]

I’ve no respect for Irving, & none for those who ban books. In my personal experience, Ebay has been increasingly vigilant about removing listings of Irving’s books, as well as Mein Kampf. It’s often defended in the U.S. on the basis of the right of a corporation to set its own policies. Fair enough, but Ebay & Amazon operate primarily as platforms for smaller sellers to list their products for sale. They shouldn’t be permitted to decide this for the sellers. They can add a disclaimer to listings they don’t wish to endorse, but outright bans are inherently anti-democratic.

[@keithad6485]

@GrantLeeEdwards I note you have not stated if you respect Evans. Sounds like you know Irving personally to be able to make such an informed negative judgment. Or, your comment is typical of someone who is easily lead along by the media who are furthering their usually undisclosed agendas, and the agendas of self interest groups. It is like me saying, I have no respect for you, even though I have not met you. When in reality, I have no opinion on whether you deserve respect or not because I don't know you. Have you read Irving's books, or at least, Hitler's War?