Categories
History Holocaust

A giant has passed on

I learned the other day that one of the most renowned historians of the Holocaust, Raul Hilberg, passed away at the age of 81:

WILLISTON, Vt. —Dr. Raul Hilberg, a world renowned Holocaust scholar has died. He was 81.

Hilberg, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Vermont, died Saturday from a recurrence of lung cancer although he never smoked, his wife Gwen said. He died with her at his side at the Vermont Respite House in Williston.

Hilberg was the author of The Destruction of the European Jews, (1961), a landmark study of the Nazi killings of more than 5 million Jews.

He was honored by the German government for his contributions and teaching on the Holocaust and was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005, according to UVM.

Hilberg, who taught at UVM from 1956 to 1991, started the school’s Holocaust Studies program and UVM later created the Center for Holocaust Studies in 1992 “to honor Hilberg’s teaching and research accomplishments.”

The Destruction of the European Jews is indeed a landmark study of the Holocaust. It’s required reading for those interested in the history of the Holocaust.

Andrew Mathis has a tribute over at Holocaust Controversies. There’s really not much to add. As Andrew put it, Hilberg was “the yardstick by which all Holocaust historians are currently measured.”

By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

Discover more from RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading