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.
__________
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.
To continue reading click here.
What are the “worrying right-wing elements” within this party? I would worry a lot more, as a Finn, about left-wing elements, with the former USSR right next door. When Communist parties start invading the election, that is when any real Finn better run for the hills, or over to Canada, or somewhere. If the Commies believe in forced integration, against the will of the people of any country, then they use violence to achieve their aims. Watch out, Finns. You will see “white flight” all over Finland’s towns as the USA did in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Still, I am curious. Which elements of right-wing thinking bothers you? Private property rights? Freedom of speech?
Mary, what kind of a question is that? I seriously doubt that anyone is encouraging censorship. But if you want to know it in plain USAmerican: fascism, right-wing populism etc… It’s tea party but not the one they do in England in the afternoon. In the US we’ve seen this type of ranting through the American Nazi Party and Klu Klux Klan, or those who warn us of a race war without commercial breaks.
Mary
And the space aliens, Mary, don’t forget them. Poisoning our precious bodily fluids with their pernicious space dust. We must all be on our guard against the extraterrestrials.
This news was total canard. Mr. Wonterghem has not tried to deny the holocaust in the past or now.
Mr. Wonterghem had said that the USSR had exaggerated initially the figures of casualties in Auschwitz. To my understanding this is a historic fact.
“USSR had first stated 4M, but After the collapse of the Communist government in 1989, the 4M plaque at Auschwitz State Museum was removed and the official death toll given as 1.1 million.”
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auschwitz_concentration_camp
This was nothing but mudslinging and an intent to cast negative publicity over the True Finns. If I would be Mr. Wonterghem, I would pursue legal action towards Iltalehti.
Van Wonterghem should come out and say that: “The Holocaust HAPPENED and the figures are disputed.” One such example is Auchwitz. During the communist period it was estimated that 4 million perished there while today some believe it could be 1.1 million. Who cares? These figures are so outlandish that more or less is not important but the lessons from that period: Stoke the flames of racism/xenophobia and you will have mass murder on such a scale.
I am sorry to disappoint you but Van Wonterghem is another True Finns hopeful trying to score big on xenophobia. His comments and writings are shameful. A good example was a column in Uusi Suomi where he tried to point out that asylum seekers had soared during this government. He forgot, however, to mention that they had plummeted in 2010.
I can agree on one thing. These elections are an important watershed in Finland. True Finns is likely to achieve a victory in these elections despite the dirty campaign of the media against them. Main reasons are
1) Aid to PIIGS countries. Media shouts all opposition to this as populist.
-> Browse 15min. on the internet and left wing voters can see the lack of morality in this and the right wing voters realize that the operations will merely prolong the inevitable and make the crash bigger.
2) Critisism of Finnish immigration policy or multiculturalism. Media shouts all opposition to this as Nazi.
-> Finnish goverment is at full throttle getting illiterate immigrants to live on welfare. Germany, France and UK have acknowledged their errors, but Finland is trying to catch up as fast as it can.
3) In last 40 years politics have been stagnant. Wide election funding corruption was discovered and mainly people do not believe that the three main parties could actually bring any change to current outdated policies and irresponsible fiscal policies.
In the internet time people can easily check sources of the news and whether they were true or not so I really doubt that exaggerative propaganda like this article can make the people vote for the old corrupt and stagnant parties.
Pertti Virtanen
…
Please explain how you checked the source of that claim about immigrants then.
–Finnish goverment is at full throttle getting illiterate immigrants to live on welfare.
Do you really believe this? If you do could you please substantiate with sources such a claim.
Immigration is a powerful social force. Over a million left this country and millions of others Europe. Even if the time era is different, these people were driven by the same things that immigrants are driven today: opportunity to make a better life and future. Don’t insult such self-starters by stating that they are all welfare bums. Refugees are also cool. My great grandfather was one and I am so proud of him that I named my third child after him. The problem with parties like the True Finns is that you guys insult those you don’t like. You end up insulting yourself because so many Finns were immigrants and refugees.
Van Wonterghem should come out and say that: “The Holocaust HAPPENED and the figures are disputed
– He did. It was just relayed by the media. You can google it from the Uusi Suomi site. Iltalehti might as well have accused Poland for denying holocaust.
Here is the source of my information.
1) Illiteracy – Was here referring to the Somali population. According to Jorma Vuorio who is the head of the Finnish Immigration Service 90% of the Somali’s coming to Finland cannot read or write:
http://www.mtv3.fi/uutiset/kotimaa.shtml/arkistot/kotimaa/2009/01/781561
2) Welfare – 55% of Somali population were unemployd in 2008 and 21% of the entire Somali population were working (children, students, etc). There have been Somalis in Finland since 1990. I see that it is very difficult for the newcomer Somalis to get jobs in Finland. Not because of racism, but because of the already high employment and naturally as many of them cannot read or write and do not speak Finnish. These are rather basic skills required from all employees in any country in Europe. Thus rather than an insult it is a realistic view that the newcomers will be living here on welfare.
http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_somalit
3) Full throttle – Family reunifications.
Numbers do not appaer to be extremly high:
Source:
http://www.stat.fi/tup/suoluk/suoluk_vaesto.html#turvapaikanhakijat
Notice the “3) Yksi päätös voi koskea useampia ihmisiä.” Also notice that anyone who has entered the country by family reunification is not visible in these statistics. They are not recoreded as refugees.
But during current government these applications have been piling up and there are currently 5600 applications in cue.
Source:
http://www.migri.fi/netcomm/content.asp?article=3923
Largest amount of people who have entered with one family reuniciation: 42 persons
Source:
Satonen, member of parliament and head of immigration work group of Kokoomus
http://mediaseuranta.blogspot.com/2009/05/yle-kokoomus-tiukentaisi.html
It is current Finnish phenomenon that Somalis that have arrived here may have up to 8-10 foster children. In case they find their parents alive in the future, they can also seek family reunification.
Source:
http://www.mtv3.fi/uutiset/kotimaa.shtml/2009/10/969147/turvapaikan-hakijoille-ilmestynyt-yllattavan-paljon-kasvattilapsia
-> Even if you calculate with just 2 person per application, this would more than double the Somali population in Finland.
If I would be a Somali, I would want to come to Finland as well. I Do not blame them. But as I am a taxpayer I really do not see the sense of having to pay this exodus. It will not solve the issue of Somalia and is very expensive. With a fraction of the money conditions could be improved for a vast amount of Somalis for example in refugee camps in Kenya.
Now please do elaborate if you consider that my points are not valid or you see faults in my logic.
Question to Enrique: Please give some valid sources that current government has made immigration (not including EU/ETA or work based immigration) plummet in 2010.
When I look at the statistics (see link above to http://www.stat.fi)I see 2611 for year 2009 and 3207 for 2010? To what statistics are you referring to?
Pertti Virtanen
The claim about literacy rates has been thoroughly debunked. This is an urban myth propagated by xenophobic groups (and I bet you didn’t find that mtv3 page by yourself while strangely missing the script of the actual interview). It is based on an offhand remark made in an interview by a public servant who began by stressing his own lack of competence to answer the question, and it is completely inconsistent with other available statistics. I refer you to my second response of 15 March 2011 in the thread on An insult to over a million Finns.
Why should a literacy estimate from Jorma Vuorio be any more reliable than an estimate from Timo Lankinen of the number of residence permits issued to Indian curry chefs in 2010?