I was gratified to some extent by these proceedings, as unjustified as they were, for they gave me a public forum in which I could explain my views on anti-German hate propaganda. Introduced in evidence were over 70 exhibits, including books, documents, tape recorded death threats, color photos of demonstrators and would-be assailants, letters of reference from several of my Jewish collaborators and many books by Jewish authors in support of my statements over many years on behalf of the German community. But even here, I was only allowed to defend myself over the strenuous objections of Mr. Greenspon. Overriding his further objections, the Postal Tribunal also accepted into evidence several files of my correspondence with government ministries, human rights commissions, the news media, clergymen, rabbis, the judiciary, historians and educators in Canada requesting equal rights for the German-Canadian minority in regard to hateful stereotyping in our media of information, education and entertainment. The members of the media and the spectators at this tribunal were visibly pained at the shrill and brutal attempts to further deprive me of my right to a fair hearing and I was not only hurt by the apparent malice on the part of my opponents, but I was embarrassed on behalf of the Jewish community, knowing how most of you cherish freedom of speech. I thought that it was a pity you could not have been there to defend the reputation of your community by repudiating the bigoted statements of those claiming to speak in your name. Perhaps, had you been previously consulted by your "representatives" and "spokesmen", you might never have permitted these disgraceful and undemocratic proceedings to take place at the outset. Of course, there could be no alternative, after consideration of all the evidence and the 741 pages of testimony accrueing in the five days of postal hearings, but for the Postal Review Board to find me innocent of disseminating hate literature. In due course, the Minister in Charge of Canada Post, Mr. Andre Quellett, restored my postal rights.
This fair decision in Canada came hard upon the heels of a similar decision by a West German court which found me innocent of the same groundless allegations that I was disseminating hate literature in Europe. In the true democratic spirit of not punishing the innocent, the West German government saw fit to reimburse me for the considerable legal expenses incurred in my defense. In Canada, however, in which the democratic tradition is much older than in Germany, I was nearly ruined financially, not only through the loss of my postal rights, which is disastrous to any mail order business, but because many of my clients are Jewish and they actually believed the slurs and calumnies circulated against me in the official press organs of the Jewish community. Because of the unmitigated hate campaigns against me, my source of livelihood was nearly destroyed.
Since there was no basis for the allegations against me which were maliciously and irresponsibly reported to the Toronto newspapers, including the Canadian Jewish News, as well as the Ottawa press, I thought it only fair that the news media report the fact of my innocence, but so far I have had no success in restoring my reputation as a law-abiding and responsible person. Apparently there is no defense nor appeal against trial by newspaper in Canada, regardless of the verdict of a duly constituted tribunal and/or court of law. I have contacted the Canadian Jewish News in regard to the placement of a paid advertisement in which I might inform my Jewish clients and friends of the good news, but again, I have received no reply.
I asked the Metro Toronto Police Ethnic Squad to intercede on my behalf with representatives of the Jewish community, but they rejected the good offices of the police department and refused-in your name-to discuss the fact of my innocence and my sympathy for the Jewish community as a whole. Once again, they turned down-in your name-my offer of opening informal discussions toward the resolution of the misunderstandings which had given rise to the legal and journalistic assaults against me in the first place.
I cannot believe that such stubbornness or, may I say, bigotry can be truly representative of the feelings of the Jewish community, and I sincerely hope that you would agree with me on this point. Because I believe the members of the Jewish community to be just and fair and unmotivated by irrational hatred, I have taken this means to reach you directly, regardless of personal expense to me. I further believe that you have a right to know what has been done in your name and on your behalf by persons and groups you may substantially support. Because I am denied the public forum in the form of a paid advertisement regarding the fact of my innocence and my desire for a fruitful dialogue, I now make this personal appeal to you. Sometimes it is necessary that people talk to people, regardless of the inflexibility of certain of our ethnic representatives, for no leaders are infallible, and it sometimes occurs that they lose sight of important issues through loss of contact with the real interests of those whom they purport to represent. I believe that this may be one of those times.
If you think that your viewpoint was not properly represented by Messrs. Kayfetz, Greenspon, Moscoe and Ms. Citron, then I would like to meet with you so that we may work on behalf of our respective communities toward the achievement of harmony, rather than hatred, and cooperation rather than confrontation. I can say at the outset that our work will not be easy, for our path is strewn with many difficulties and obstacles, many inaccuracies and misconceptions engendered by wartime propaganda from both sides. We have a heavy burden of hatred and distrust which we must finally cast off if we are at last to stand up straight as fellow human beings with our full share of inalienable human rights which we should like to guarantee to all. I am willing to explore every avenue, consider any compromise which will smooth our way to eventual cooperation and goodwill. Will you not join with me in attempting this most worthy endeavor?
You could be of very great help in undoing the wrongs committed by those who have claimed to act on your behalf by helping me to defray some of the considerable losses and expenses incurred through the false witnessing and malicious allegations against me on the part of Messrs. Greenspon, Kayfetz, Citron et al. Through them I have suffered heavy legal fees, loss of business and a seriously damaged personal reputation. I am therefore appealing to you for financial help toward the recovery of at least a portion of my legal defense which would include the fees paid to attorneys, researchers, travel and hotel expenses as well as the cost of letters such as this which had to be mailed in my defense through the denial of full and fair media coverage. All these expenses, losses and damages were unnecessarily and unjustly suffered by me through the actions of persons claiming to be leaders of your community.
Should you wish to inform yourself in more detail about the events which took place in Ottawa, I shall be happy to provide you with a true and complete copy of the Postal Tribunal's transcript of these public hearings which comprises 741 pages at 10 cents per page. If you would prefer to wait until my book about these proceedings is published, you may then receive the full account with less expense. Please let me know if you would like to purchase a copy of this forthcoming book; let me have your name and address, and I will send you a copy of the book with a bill as soon as it is printed. Please do not send me any money for the book at this time, as I cannot accept advance payments.
Several of my Jewish friends and co-workers have suggested that you may wish me to appear as guest speaker or panelist at your synagogue or community centre in order to provide your members with the opportunity to receive my personal answers to any questions they might have. If you would like me to participate in such a presentation, please let me know and I shall be happy to arrange an appearance. Sadly, I must insist that I be accompanied by my own security personnel and/or police, because of the many death threats directed against me. Please telephone me in order to discuss the time, place and format of such a presentation as well as the speaker's fee which I will receive for my appearance. I am always ready on behalf of increasing community harmony and understanding, therefore I extend to you my offer of friendship and goodwill.
I certainly hope that you accept this letter in the spirit in which I have written it, for we Germans and Jews have benefitted in our centuries of co-operation and we should at last put World War II behind us so that we can get on with the business of living together on the basis of fairness, truth and equality. We may never co-exist productively and peacefully if we are to base our relationship on inequality and untruth. The Gordian knot of lies which gives rise to many conflicts between us can only be cut with the sword of truth. We cannot face our responsibility as human beings unless we are prepared to face history on a factual, rather than on an emotional basis, without fear or favor, but with charity toward all. As we pool our resources of knowledge and goodwill, we may indeed find errors, forgeries, lies and half-truths which have influenced our thinking and which were created by evil men for evil purposes. I sincerely hope that we shall have the courage and honesty to discard and to denounce such lies and the liars responsible for them. The Talmud states that a lie kills three persons - the person lied about, the person who believes the lie, and finally the liar himself.
Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, himself a Jew, has long been my ideal as one who courageously supports the cause of truth and justice, no matter how unpopular this cause may be among our contemporaries. The fact that he speaks out from his high position of authority greatly multiplies his importance to all righteous people, for we know that his words are heard by equally important decision-makers in high places throughout the world. So honorable and truthful is Chancellor Kreisky that he spoke out against one of his close acquaintances-Simon Wiesenthal-when he found him to be less than honest in his pretensions. The accompanying news articles refer.
Only the truth can make us free-all of us. Are you willing to work with me in the cause of Truth, Freedom and Justice for all? Please contact me as soon as possible.
Yours truly
Ernst Zündel