David McCalden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David McCalden
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McCalden in 1980
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| Born | 20 September 1951 |
| Died | 15 October 1990 (aged 39) |
| Occupation | Involvement in British politics and Holocaust denial |
William David McCalden (born September 20, 1951 – died October 15, 1990) was a person involved in politics in Britain. Later, he moved to the United States. There, he helped start a group called the Institute for Historical Review in 1978. He became known for promoting ideas that denied the Holocaust.
Contents
Early Life and Education
David McCalden was born in Belfast, which is in Northern Ireland. In 1972, he moved from Northern Ireland to London. He went to Goldsmiths College to study. While at university, people often called him "revisionist Dave." He was known for his long hair. He also liked to debate with other students who had different political views. He finished his studies in 1974. He earned a certificate in education, focusing on how societies work.
Involvement in Politics
McCalden first got involved in politics with a group called the National Front. He became the editor of their newspaper, Nationalist News. He strongly supported another politician named John Kingsley Read. When Read and others left the National Front to start a new group, the National Party, McCalden joined them in 1976. He wrote many articles for their journal, Britain First.
He was also active in the Hunt Saboteurs Association. This group works to stop people from hunting animals. He edited their journal, HOWL, for a couple of years. In 1978, he was asked to leave this group. This happened after a debate and a vote. It was because of his writings in certain controversial magazines. He also wrote for another journal called Beacon. He was also believed to have written a book called Nuremberg & Other War Crimes Trials in 1978. This book was first published under a different name.
Moving to the U.S. and Historical Claims
In 1978, David McCalden moved to the United States. He settled in California. There, he met Willis Carto. Together, they started the Institute for Historical Review. McCalden became the director and editor-in-chief of this group. He often used the name Lewis Brandon for these roles.
McCalden soon became known for promoting ideas that denied the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a terrible event where millions of Jewish people were killed during World War II. People who deny the Holocaust claim it did not happen or was greatly exaggerated. McCalden became a main figure in the Institute for Historical Review.
In 1980, using the name "Lewis Brandon," McCalden offered a large sum of money. He said he would pay $50,000 for proof that Jewish people were gassed to death at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. An Auschwitz survivor named Mel Mermelstein accepted this offer. However, McCalden refused to pay. This led to a lawsuit. In October 1981, a judge in Los Angeles County Superior Court made an important decision. The judge stated that "this court does take judicial notice of the fact that Jews were gassed to death at Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland during the summer of 1944." The judge added, "It is simply a fact."
McCalden and Carto had disagreements because of this case. In 1981, McCalden left the Institute for Historical Review. He then started his own group called Truth Missions. Through this group, he published journals. These included Revisionist Reprints, Holocaust News, and David McCalden's Revisionist Newsletter. He also published books, such as The Amazing, Rapidly Shrinking "Holocaust" in 1988.
Later Life and Passing
David McCalden passed away on October 15, 1990. He was 39 years old. He died in El Segundo, California. He had been suffering from a serious illness since November 1988. He was survived by his second wife, Viviana, and their daughter.
