Ernst Zundel Ernst Zundel (1939-2017) was a German-born publisher, author and civil rights activist. He was a prominent figure in the worldwide Holocaust revisionist network, and accordingly was routinely described in the mainstream media as a “notorious Holocaust denier.” He was also an unabashed admirer of Adolf Hitler, and an unapologetic defender of the legacy of Third Reich Germany. For seven years he was held behind bars, first in Canada and then in Germany, solely for the peaceful expression of non-conformist views. For some time he was the most prominent political prisoner in the western world. He was the author of countless booklets, newsletters and essays. He was a prodigious publisher, a one-man public relations firm, and an able public speaker and organizer. Energetic, tenacious and courageous, he was dauntless in struggle against apparently insurmountable odds and seemingly invincible adversaries. Sometimes describing himself as a “Swabian peasant,” Zundel was an outgoing, good-humored man who was blessed with a rare combination of unflagging optimism and practical ability. He maintained this infectious spirit even under very trying conditions. Although he was often portrayed by adversaries as a boorish “hater,” his real personality was quite different. He was an unusually alert and sensitive individual with a keen understanding of human nature. He knew how to persuade, cajole and encourage others to give their best for a greater mission. He inspired confidence, loyalty and affection. Ernst Christof Friedrich Zündel was born on April 24, 1939, in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany. He emigrated to Canada at the age of 19, where he soon married and became the father of two sons. His career as a graphic artist was successful, with his work appearing, for example, on the front cover of Canada's national news magazine, Maclean's. Setting aside his thriving career, he dedicated himself to the great task, as he saw it, of redeeming the sullied reputation of his fellow Germans. Through his Samisdat publishing house he distributed worldwide a prodigious quantity of books, booklets, leaflets, newsletters, and audio and video cassettes. Simon Wiesenthal, the well-known "Nazi hunter," called Zundel the world's number one distributor of allegedly dangerous literature and recordings. Zundel was perhaps best known as the defiant defendant in the much-publicized “Holocaust Trials” of 1985 and 1988. He was brought to court in Toronto on a charge of “publishing false news,” and specifically for publishing a reprint edition of a booklet entitled Did Six Million Really Die?. Zundel’s two lengthy trials -- the 1985 trial lasted two months, and the 1988 trial lasted four months – were something like full scale debates on the Holocaust issue. For the first time ever, “Holocaust survivors” and Holocaust historians were closely and critically questioned under oath about their claims and views. To wage the legal battle that was forced upon him, he brought together an impressive international team of researchers, legal specialists, scholars, and many others. From numerous libraries and archives in North America and Europe, this group assembled at the “Zundelhaus” in Toronto one of the most extensive collections of evidence anywhere on this chapter of history. Among those who testified on Zundel's behalf in the trials were Robert Faurisson, David Irving, Mark Weber, William Lindsey, Udo Walendy, and Bradley Smith. As a result of the two trials, an enormous quantity of evidence and testimony challenging the prevailing Holocaust narrative was presented to the court and thereby was made part of the permanent public record. Perhaps the most important of this evidence was the historic testimony of American gas chamber expert Fred Leuchter about his on-site forensic examination of the alleged extermination gas chambers in Poland. Zundel was found guilty in the 1985 trial, but the verdict was set aside by the provincial appeals court. It ruled that the judge in that trial had, among other things, given improper instructions to the jury, and had improperly excluded defense evidence. At the conclusion of the second Zundel trial in May 1988, a jury declared him guilty. A few days later, he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment. French scholar Robert Faurisson wrote at the time: “Zundel may once again go to prison for his research and beliefs or be threatened with deportation. All this is possible. Anything may happen when there is an intellectual crisis and a realignment of historical concepts of such a dimension. Revisionism is the great intellectual adventure of the end of this century. Whatever happens, Ernst Zundel is already the victor.” On appeal, Canada's Supreme Court threw out the 1988 conviction, declaring on August 27, 1992, that the archaic “false news” law under which Zundel had been tried and convicted was a violation of the country's Charter of Rights. This was more than a personal vindication by Ca...