By J Bellinger
Establishment historians often feign anger, surprise, and indignation whenever a "survivor’s" testimony is called into question by enterprising investigators. They quibble about the so-called "convergence of evidence" which supposedly "proves" their contentions regarding what they term "the Holocaust." Perhaps Skeptic Magazine best described the rationale lurking behind those who preach blind, unquestioning acceptance of so-called "eyewitness testimony." From their special edition Vol. 2, #4, dedicated to "Those who Deny the Holocaust," where Skeptic does a nice tap dance along the line of Skeptics denying Skeptics, we read on page 42, in a section entitled "A Case Study in Convergence":
"Let us examine how this works as a case study in history as a science. We have an eyewitness account by a survivor who says he heard about gassing Jews while he was at Auschwitz. The revisionist says that survivors exaggerate and that their memories are unsound. Another survivor tells another story different in details but with the core similarity that Jews were gassed at Auschwitz. The revisionist claims that rumors were floating throughout the camps and many survivors incorporated them into their memories. "
And this is the section which I am concerned with examining today by use of an illustrative case study: An examination of two survivors and their account of the same incident. I refer the reader to Olga Lengyel, author of Five Chimneys, and Gisela Perl’s "I was a Doctor in Auschwitz." The narratives center around an alleged incident in Auschwitz where Irma Grese, a 19 year old Aufseherin employed at the camp, allegedly demands that Perl run a pregnancy test, which turns out positive. Thereafter, Grese demands that the doctor perform an abortion. Let us know examine the two accounts and see whether there is any substance to Skeptic’s argument.
First, Dr. Perl’s account:
"......Irma Greze (sic) was the most depraved, cruel, imaginative sexual pervert I ever came across. She was the highest ranking SS woman in Auschwitz and it was my bad luck to be under her eyes during my entire camp life........One day she ordered me to report to her in the afternoon at the so-called "maternity ward" of our hospital.
"I have watched you operate," she said, "and I have perfect confidence in you as a doctor. I want you to examine me. I think I may be pregnant..."
I knew that it was against the rules for a prisoner to touch a guard, and breaking that rule was punishable by death, too. She lay down on the bench and I proceeded with the examination. She was, indeed, pregnant.
"Be here tomorrow afternoon," she ordered. "You are going to perform an abortion on me...."
But I have absolutely no instruments," I replied "and if someone finds out, that will mean death for me..."
"No arguments. Leave everything to me."
Next afternoon, at the appointed hour, I was ready, waiting for her. When she arrived, she brought a case of instruments--and her gun.
"They are sterilized," she said handing me the instruments. Then she lay down on the bench and put the gun under her head. I knelt down on the floor and began to operate. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was going to be the last professional act of my life. We were both breaking the rules. Should anyone find out about it, I would be sent "left’....We were both equally guilty in the eyes of her superiors, yet she held all the cards. No one besides me needed to know about it. She could easily kill me without even having to make an excuse or give an explanation. I was sure that this was what she intended to do.....I finished the operation and sat back on my heels, too weary even to get up and face death standing....Irma Greze got up from the bench, arranged her clothes, picked up her gun and smiled. I looked up into her smiling face and waited for the bullet which was to put an end to the Dr. Gisella Perl I had been before and to Prisoner No. 25,404 I was now. But she did not shoot.
"You are a good doctor," she said. "What a pity that you have to die. Germany needs good doctors...." I said nothing.
"I am going to give you a coat," she continued. "And I don’t have to tell you to keep quiet about this. If you ever open your mouth, I’ll find you, wherever you are, and kill you."
With this she walked out of the shack and left me alone with my newly-won-life.....By the way, I never got the coat Irma Greze promised me.
END OF PERL’S ACCOUNT
Now, according to OLGA LENGYEL, in her book, "Five Chimney’s p 156-157, Mayflower Publications, 1963:
"One day Irma entered our infirmary. With a curt order, she sent the sick patients from the room, and went into conference with the surgeon, who was one of my best friends.
"I need your services," she declared briefly. "I have been told that you are very clever." She explained exactly what was expected. The situation required delicate handling. It was dangerous to refuse anything to Irma Griese (sic!); yet if the superior authorities learned of her interference with nature, for it was an illegal operation, it would be just as dangerous for us.
My friend hesitated. Griese made tempting promises. "I will share my breakfast with you. You will have either wonderful chocolate or real coffee with milk. Cakes, too, and bread and butter!" Then she added, "I will also give you a winter coat, very warm."
However, the surgeon still was undecided. The danger was too great. Irma Griese flushed and produced her revolver. "I give you two minutes to make up your mind."
"I will do what you have asked," the doctor yielded. "Very well! I will expect you tomorrow at five o’clock, Barrack 19. And mind you, I don’t tolerate any lateness," the angel snapped.
My friend was punctual. She asked me to go with her as a nurse. What a picture we saw! Irma Griese, the torturess, was actually sweating from fear. She trembled and groaned and was unable to control herself. She, who had coldly sent thousands of women to their deaths, and who brutalized them without a second thought, could not endure the slightest pain without whining.
No sooner was the operation over than she began to prattle.
"After the war, I intend to go into pictures. You will see my name in lights on the marquee. I know life and I’ve seen a great deal. My experiences will be useful in my artistic career."
We were glad to be allowed to leave in peace. She could have had us killed right there. She had only to send us to the gas chambers and be done with us. I wonder why she did not.
END OF QUOTE
And indeed I wonder why she did not! By reading both accounts, one can readily see that at least ONE, if not BOTH, of these witnesses is a fabricator and a liar. Let’s compare:
PERL: One day she ordered me to report to her in the afternoon at the so-called "maternity ward" of our hospital.
LENGYEL:One day Irma entered our infirmary. With a curt order, she sent the sick patients from the room, and went into conference with the surgeon....
PERL: "I have watched you operate," she said, "and I have perfect confidence in you as a doctor." I want you to examine me. I think I may be pregnant..."
LENGYEL: "I need your services," she said briefly. "I have been told that you are very clever."
PERL: I knew it was against the rules for a prisoner to touch a guard, and breaking that rule was punishable by death, too. She lay down on the bench and I proceeded with the examination.
LENGYEL: She explained exactly what was expected. The situation required delicate handling. It was dangerous to refuse anything to Irma Griese; yet if the superior authorities learned of her interference with nature, for it was an illegal operation, it would be just as dangerous for us.
PERL: "Be here tomorrow afternoon," she ordered. "You are going to perform an abortion on me." "But I have absolutely no instruments," I replied. "No arguments.. Leave everything to me."
LENGYEL: Griese made tempting promises. "I will share my breakfast with you. You will have either wonderful chocolate or real coffee with milk. Cakes, too, and bread and butter!" Then she added, "I will also give you a winter coat, very warm." however, the surgeon was still undecided. The danger was too great. Irma Griese flushed and produced her revolver. "I will give you two minutes to make up your mind!"
PERL: Next afternoon, at the appointed hour, I was ready, waiting for her. When she arrived, she brought a case of instruments - and her gun. "They are sterilized," she said, handing me the instruments. Then she lay down on the bench and put the gun under her head.
LENGYEL: My friend was punctual. She asked me to go with her as a nurse. What a picture we saw! Irma Griese, the torturess, was actually sweating from fear.
PERL: I knelt down on the floor and began to operate....Should anyone find out about it, I would be sent "left".....No one besides me needed to know about it....
LENGYEL: She asked me to go with her as a nurse.
PERL: I finished the operation and sat back on my heels, too weary to even get up and and face death standing...Irma Greze got up from the bench, arranged her clothes, picked up her gun and smiled...."You are a good doctor," she said. What a pity you have to die. Germany needs good doctors."
LENGYEL: No sooner was the operation over when she began to prattle. "After the war, I intend to go into pictures."
PERL: "I am going to give you a coat," she continued. "And I don’t have to tell you to keep quiet about this. If you ever open your mouth, I’ll find you, wherever you are, and kill you."
LENGYEL: "I know life and I’ve seen a great deal. My experiences will be useful in my artistic career."
PERL: With this she left me alone with my newly won life...By the way, I never got the coat Irma Greze promised me.
LENGYEL: We were glad to be left in peace. She could have had us killed right there. She had only to send us to the gas chambers and be done with us. I wonder why she did not.
Commentary: With that we shall leave it to the reader to sort out the real facts, if any, between these two narrations. I am confident that any person without an axe to grind will surely be able to compare these two tales and readily come to the proper conclusions. I will just briefly note the following: It is clear from Perl’s account that there was no third party ever present during these alleged incidents. The following comments make this quite clear:
"We were BOTH breaking the rules...Should anyone find out "I" would be sent to the left...We were BOTH equally guilty...No one besides ME needed to know about it...She could easily kill ME without even having to make an excuse or give an explanation....I...waited for the bullet....With this she walked out of the shack and left ME ALONE with my newly-won-life."
Lengyel, of course, completely contradicts this account by saying, "She asked ME to go with her as a nurse. What a picture WE saw! WE were glad to be allowed to go in peace. She could have had US killed right there.."
Clearly one of the two, or both is fabricating. And if either or both of them can be proved to have fabricated, then I submit that neither of them are credible witnesses and anything else they may have to offer by way of information regarding Auschwitz is not to be believed.
Yet, these are obviously not the only conflicts between the two accounts. Neither of them is able to spell Miss Grese’s name correctly, though admittedly this is a minor point. But observe the following:
PERL says one day Irma Grese ORDERED her to report to her at the maternity ward of the hospital. LENGYEL says "one day Irma entered the infirmary."
PERL says that Grese told her, "I have watched you operate and I have perfect confidence in you as a doctor." LENGYEL says that Grese simply remarked "I need your services. I HAVE BEEN TOLD that you are very clever." Clearly, one, or both of these witnesses is lying.
PERL claims that Grese ordered her, "Be here tomorrow afternoon." LENGYEL says that the time for the rendezvous was 5 o’clock in the evening.
PERL indicates that the examination and conversation was very brief and succinct, but LENGYEL claims that Grese attempted to bribe the doctor, as well as brandishing a pistol!
PERL mentions the offer of a warm coat as being given at the conclusion of the alleged abortion, while LENGYEL places the offer during the initial examination the day before.
And so on and so forth.
Aside from these obviously false claims, there are many other serious
credibility problems with both of these accounts.
For instance, Grese was
NOT an SS member, contrary to what PERL writes, nor was she the Chief Aufseherin
in the camp. She also had no authority to send any person to the gas chamber,
as BOTH of these witnesses recount.
Also, why bother threatening anyone
with a pistol if she had the authority to send the both of them to the gas
chamber.
Why leave one, or even worse, TWO witnesses to testify against
her?
Also, matrons were not issued with revolvers, as was recounted by
LENGYEL.
Also, PERL has Grese ordering her to meet her the next day at
the same maternity hospital where she was allegedly examined. LENGYEL places
the alleged abortion at another location-Barrack 19.
LENGYEL also takes the liberty to record conversations she never witnessed,
such as the initial examination, "verbatim" as if she was in fact
present.
It has always been a source of astonishment to me how establishment
historians approach the testimony of "Survivors" with a reverence and
solemnity usually reserved only for supernatural beings.
It further amazes
me that these individuals, many of above-average intelligence, seek to
rationalize and explain the obvious lies in the tales recounted by so many
survivors, yet would not hesitate to acknowledge that the "facts" were
"frauds" in any other group of persons or individuals other than "survivors."
It is as if the mere mention of the word "survivor" compels the individual to suspend all reason, education, "gut-feeling" and so on in favor of removing one’s sandals and bowing low before the Holocaust Shrine of Mecca.
On the other hand, I do not and cannot suspend reason in favor of superstition and blind acceptance, and neither anti-Semitism nor politics has anything to do with that decision.
The real question, as I see it, is to be honest with oneself and others, and let the chips fall where they may.
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