London, Monday, April 15, 2002

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Hitler recalledAgainst my better judgment, I found myself at David Irving’s Mayfair flat on Friday [April 12, 2002], for a drinks party to launch the latest edition of his Hitler’s War. Alas, no government ministers turned up to share the Holocaust revisionist’s Riesling.

T’was not ever thus: in 1991, Alan Clark — then a defence minister in John Major’s government — attended the book’s original launch.

“Alan sat down on that seat in my study,” recalled Irving. “He pointed to my book and said: ‘You know, David, we need someone like that in Britain right now’.”

Irving also showed me his collection of Nazi memorabilia, including one of Hitler’s tablespoons, engraved with the Nazi eagle. “It was a gift from the widow of Baldur von Schirach, head of the Hitler Youth,” he said. “My daughter calls it the Birdie spoon’.”

 

 Daily Telegraph leader article: “Liberty to Think Ill“

 London Evening Standard editorial: “Thought Crimes“

 Auberon Waugh asked: “I cannot help asking myself what sort of truth requires these sanctions” after Germany fined David Irving $20,000.