Comment: Here is a story confirming what some have known about some True Finns’ candidates like Freddy van Wonterghem, who claimed in Iltalehti that even though excesses happened during World War II, the Holocaust was an “exaggerated” fabrication by the former Soviet Union.
By his incredible affirmation, it is clear that van Wonterghem‘s forte isn’t history. For a matter of fact his world view is extremely selective like his opinion on immigration.
To claim that the Soviets had exaggerated the figure is outright ludicrous. Germans like Rudolf Hoess, the notorious commandant of Auschwitz during 1941-43 who cited figures given to him by Adolf Eichmann on the “many millions who died under the Nazi regime,” revealed how the death camps worked. Different estimates have placed the death toll at Auschwitz alone between 1.1 million and 4 million.
Eichman (1906-62), who was one of the major organizers of the Holocaust, is quoted as saying in Richard Overy’s Interrogations – The Nazi elite in Allied hands, 1945 (pp. 192-193): “I laugh when I jump into the grave because of the feeling that I have killed five million Jews. That gives me great satisfaction.”
One of the defenses that the Nazis tried to use at Nuremberg was that it was simply impossible to exterminate systematically six million people. Hoes, however, who never showed any remorse for his crimes, proved them wrong with his testimony.
Even though this type of denial by van Wonterghem shows the real face of some True Finns’ candidates, what is even more worrying is the presence of far-right Suomen Sisu members in the party’s anti-immigration camp. Suomen Sisu is a neo-fascist organization that believes that Finland should not encourage its citizens to marry non-Finns.
One such candidate of the True Finns is long-time Suomen Sisu member Teemu Lahtinen. In this video clip we see him marching at a far-right event in France marching with the Finnish and IKL flag. IKL was a fascist organization in the 1920s that got much of its inspiration from Benito Mussolini.
In the video clip we hear an IKL member’s advice: “All those that don’t have work and who are not tourists and aren’t Finnish citizens leave Finland,” said Matti Harjujärvi.
Another well-known Suomen Sisu and candidate of the True Finns is Jussi Halla-aho. He is speculated to be Suomen Sisu’s international contacts head. Some far-right parties that Suomen Sisu and the True Finns are reported to have good relations with include the DPP of Denmark, Party of Freedom of the Netherlands, Sweden Democrats and others.
Some analysts believe that soon after the April 17 election Timo Soini, who represents the former rural SMP wing of the True Finns, and those that back Suomen Sisu will go at each other’s throat in a power struggle that will cause the party to implode.
If we look at the True Finns’ message and the worrying far-right elements inside of it, a big victory for Soini’s party would permit the rude face of xenophobia and its many forms to raise its head higher in this country.
This is the reason why some see these elections as an important watershed.
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Katja Boxberg
Eduskuntaan pyrkii holokaustin kyseenalaistaja ja rotujen sekoittumista vastustava. Kansanedustajuutta tavoittelee useita perussuomalaisia ehdokkaita, jotka ovat allekirjoittaneet maahanmuuttovastaisen ns. nuivan manifestin. Osalla ehdokkaista on läheiset suhteet äärikansalliseen Suomen Sisuun.
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