| Welcome To Kurt's Controversy Central Section |
The Bogyansky Mystery
By Kurt Saxon
Since Monday, November 3, 1997
For two generations Americans have been force-fed with propaganda about
the "Holocaust." One who doubts that six million Jews were slaughtered by the
Germans is considered as anti-Jewish and evil. But why? Why is it important to believe in
the Holocaust in the first place? Who cares? It's history and no longer important. But
still the constant harping on the poor Jews. "Holocaust," "Schindler's
List," etc. It's time to move on.
Rather than hear Jews go on about the oppression and atrocities, you are about to read
some Jewish documentation to the effect that the Holocaust was an exaggeration, if it ever
happened at all.
Let it be known up front that I am not anti-Jewish. Nor is this an anti-Jewish work. The
work is entirely objective and backed up by Jews who were there. Otherwise, Jews would
pass off the work as simply anti-Jewish ravings as they have with every work casting doubt
on the Holocaust.
In late 1966 I rented an apartment in San Francisco. When I told the landlady I was a
painter, she offered the first month's rent free if I would repaint the apartment. I
agreed and she told me to go to the former tenant's storage cubicle in the basement and
get the old clothes out of the clothes hamper there to use as paint rags.
About half way down inside the hamper I found a bulging, wine colored accordion folder.
One of the first things I noticed was a passport in a leather case. On the front of the
passport was printed, "DEUTSCHES REICH," an eagle and swastika and
"REISEPASS." Inside was a large, red "J" for Jew and the name, Hans
Israel Bogyansky. The next page showed his photo and the date, April 29, 1939.
Another item was a certificate of registration for Charlotte Bogyansky who had arrived in
England on September 22, 1939.
There were also many family photos, government documents, his life story since he was a
child in Austria. There were also many letters in German, both typed and handwritten. He
was 28 years old and had worked, I think, at a middle-management job in an Austrian
jewelry factory. He wasn't wealthy or political. There was nothing out of the ordinary
about the family. He had nothing to hide.
So, as a typical, tightly-knit traditional Jewish family, why was this valuable family
history which he kept and brought from Austria to New York and then San Francisco, hidden
and then abandoned? Normally it would have been treasured and preserved.
One reason might be the Holocaust story which had been so carefully
built up since the end of the war. It became monumental, unassailable, a kind of sacred
truth not to be doubted except by bigots and fools. But the Bogyansky documents did not
back it up. They do not disprove it, but by not reinforcing the story they may have seemed
better off forgotten.
Part of the Holocaust story is that Jewish refugees were refused entry into the U.S. There
is even a newsreel of a boatload of refugees who were turned away, stopped at various
foreign ports and finally forced to return to Germany to die, according to the narration.
But anyone can narrate falsehoods. For all we know, that could have been a boatload of
accepted Jews or even tourists.
Actually, the documents prove that millions of Jews got out of Europe during the '30s.
Bogyansky changed his name to John Herman Brandon. His alien registration number was
2510229. His mother's alien registration number in England was 771404. This adds up to
3,217,623. Nor is there any reason to believe that was a cut-off point. The documents show
that Jews were getting out of Europe well into 1940.
It should not be doubted that all or nearly all of these people were Jews. The average
non-Jewish German believed Hitler to be the next best thing since sliced bread. Things
were looking up. Why emigrate? Those who opposed the system were in concentration camps.
Also, the government would not allow its citizens with value to the state to leave. But as
for Jews, good riddance.
So why would our government, or that of Britain, allow millions of Jewish immigrants in
during the Great Depression with so many of our own citizens out of work? There was no
"save the Jews" movement here or in Britain. There were few persecution stories
coming out of Europe to generate sympathy.
I remember, as a child, hearing my Church of Christ preachers telling of the awful Jews
who killed Jesus. That was preached from every pulpit in the land. It didn't so much cause
hatred of modern Jews, but the general attitude was that modern Jews were unrepentant and
too ignorant to accept Jesus. So Jews, although not exactly hated, were generally
disapproved of.
A strange bit of evidence that even American Jews weren't worried about European Jews was
shown on TV, October 11 in the movie, "Chaplin." The movie showed Chaplin as
outspokenly anti-Nazi. He produced, in 1940, "The Great Dictator," a very
insulting parody of Hitler. The movie said that the big Hollywood moguls, most of whom
were Jews, did not want the picture released. Go figure. Plus, as a movie buff, I do not
remember one anti-Nazi movie coming out during the '30s when all those Jews were fleeing
persecution.
Incidentally, Chaplin was not a Jew. His older brother, Sydney, had a Jewish father but
Chaplin's mother remarried to a Gentile and had Charlie.
Again, why were all those Jews allowed in during the Great Depression?
There were few Jews in our government and the Hollywood Jews had no pull with the
Department of Immigration.
There was, however, a logical, practical and even profitable reason for our government to
allow the European Jews to immigrate to the U. S. The Germans had rejected a whole ethnic
group. Not all of them could afford the passage. Others, like most people, refused to
leave the familiar, even when there might be a risk in staying. I tell people all the time
that our system is going to crash and they ought to move to safer areas. Few do.
So what did our government get? Only the best! The most farsighted, intelligent and
talented; the cream of the crop. The best scientists in Europe, starting with Einstein.
Most of those who worked on the atomic bomb were Jews and most of them were immigrants.
Incidentally, later, Hitler wanted the bomb. He did not get it because he had allowed the
very people who could have given it to him to leave the country.
And Hollywood? Only Europe's best writers, composers, directors, actors, cameramen, etc.
came. Overall, their value to the war effort, Hollywood and other fields was incalculable.
The most interesting document, translated into English, was the letter of Josef
Weisseneder, who relates his experiences in various concentration camps. It was written in
1946, before the Jews got the Holocaust story down pat.
In the first part of the letter Josef talks about friends he met after his release. There
is no indication that they were also in camps. Of those he had lost track of he writes,
"My gosh, what shall have become of Feny, Matzner, Frau Horvath? No one knows where
they are." A modern Jew would take it for granted they had died in the camps. But
that was not obvious to Josef. He projected no worry that they or Mr. Julius or Mrs. Gisi
had come to harm.
He says of himself, "I spent six years in different concentration camps because
someone had denounced me and my political ideas about fascism." A modern Jew would
say he was interned because he was a Jew.
He describes hardships and abuse by the SS. Believable. Of Mauthausen he writes,
"This horrid and most feared camp was without doubt an extermination camp." But
was it? Further on he writes, "Shortly before the door shut, I broke my ankle bone
and laid for eight weeks in the sick bay." This statement turns "extermination
camp" into a mere expression like "Hell hole" or "Godforsaken."
One slated for extermination would have been killed then, not hospitalized for eight
weeks.
He ends the account with, "For six weeks I have worked in the registering of the
National Socialists where slowly but slowly my rage is leaving me."
About his use of the terms, fascism and National Socialist; a modern Jew would have said
"Nazi" in both cases. Fascists and National Socialists were people who advocated
certain political systems. But the term "Nazi" describes a vicious brute and
that is the only term a modern Jew will use.
Incidentally, neither the term "Nazi" nor "Jew" appears in Josef's
letter. Actually, neither term appears in any of the many letters in the collection.
A German lady spent an afternoon studying the documents. She said they were just post-war
letters assuring the Brandons that the writers were alright. There were no references to
camps or persecutions, as modern Jews would have insisted on if they could go back in time
and rewrite the letters.
I would like to reproduce the letters in the original German and add word for word
translations in English and make them into a book. Anyone who reads German handwriting and
is willing to translate, please contact me.
Following is the translation of Josef Weisseneder's letter:
Linz on the Danube
the 30th of May 1946
Dear Hans:
You are probably wondering why you haven't heard from me. Although, I thought of you and
Miss Adler and Mrs. Olly often, it was impossible for me to write, because I didn't know
your addresses. Now, please accept my heartfelt greetings for yourself as well as for your
dear mother and Mrs. Olly.
For six full years I have looked death in the face every day and even today it is still
incomprehensible to me how I have lived through that terrible time. Hopefully, all is well
with you and your mother, as well as with Frau Olly and Miss Adler with whom you must be
in contact.
After six years absence, I came in the Fall of 1945 to Vienna where I found a part of my
left behind belongings and used this opportunity to go to the Schmalzhofgasse. Quite by
chance I ran into Mrs. Papouschek, who told me different tidbits about Lunzer's manner of
behavior.
The house was spared and remains as it was before. At first glance I recalled the
wonderful times I had spent there so that I felt entirely different. Unfortunately, that
time is past. How everything has changed and who would have thought that it would look
like this. Vienna has naturally really changed, especially certain parts of the town are
scarcely recognizable. The life here is not worth speaking about. The State Opera,
Theater, etc. was extensively damaged which you probably know from the pictures.
My first question was naturally whether she (I think he means Mrs. Papouschek) knew your
address, which unfortunately she didn't. She told me that Mr. Peto from Hungary had
written her and he knew where your mother, and Frau Olly as well as Miss Adler were. After
I returned to Linz, I wrote immediately to Mr. Peto (4-24) and received an answer
yesterday (4-29). As I read the letter my eyes became blurry with happiness.
I have thought about you often Hans and why I shall explain and hope that you will
understand.
My gosh, what shall become of Feny, Matzner Frau Horvath. No one knows where they are. Are
Herr Eppstein and Nelly in New York and married? What in the world have become of Mr.
Julius and Mrs. Gisi? Do you know? As I learned from Mr. Peto, Frau Olly is married but he
didn't give an address and I was hoping you could send it to me.
Mr. Peto wrote me that you served in the U.S. Army and emigrated in April to San
Francisco. He didn't know your present address and that is why I am writing to your mother
and hope that you will be receiving my letter soon. My heavens, San Francisco sounds like
a fairyland and I envy you very much but I still wish you all possible goodness on life's
journey and much happiness. Can you imagine that all of a sudden last Autumn I encountered
Lisl Stangl, who wanted to say goodbye. We stayed up all night and talked about the happy
days living at Schmalzhofgasse and how lucky you are and where she will be going, etc. She
was in Prague for four years during the revolution and told me terrible things about it.
Now she is in Vienna with her parents and will in all probability go to Switzerland.
I was arrested on April 18th, 1939 and didn't know whether at this time you had already
gone or not.
Now Hans I will explain to you why I thought of you so much. I spent six years in
different concentration camps because someone had denounced me and my political ideas
about fascism. On 4-18-39 I was taken away from my office and not allowed to return. In
August I was taken to Dachau where I stayed one month and then was transported with 1,600
men to an unfinished camp (called during construction Mauthausen) where I stayed for 5 1/2
years. From the first day I was put in the stone quarry and was always out in the open be
it winter or summer, during all types of weather. This horrid and most feared camp was
without a doubt an extermination camp. Every day we carried stones up 184 steps into the
camp amidst the horrid torture and abuse being carried out on the part of the S.S. What I
took part in is not to be described or believed. Later I was put in the neighboring camp
"Gusen" and stayed there for 8 months and then again returned to
"Mauthausen." Shortly before the door shut, I broke my ankle bone and laid for 8
weeks in the sick bay.
Then I had to be evacuated and all those who weren't capable of being transported, better
said, all those who couldn't walk, would be killed (exactly as with many other outer camps
which were evacuated and the men brought to Mauthausen), and before leaving the camp
simply struck down. If they are not capable of walking in transport they are simply struck
down. This was told to us by other prisoners and the people were simply left lying in
their street graves. Can you imagine what I have been through and that is why Hans I have
thought about you so much, now do you understand? Finally on the fifth of May we were
freed by the Americans and you can't imagine the happiness of the freed prisoners and what
the freedom had done. What can one say, thank God or fortunately, that one had lived
through it. After my release I could not go to Wieda over the Enns, because the Enn River
was the demarcation line and only could be crossed if one had an ally pass. I have worked
for some weeks here at the General Hospital in Linz as an aid in order to get a good card
and later I will be hired here as a clerk, where I am living today with my sister. For six
weeks I have worked in the registering of the National Socialists where slowly but slowly
my rage is leaving me.
Dear Hans, I would like to ask a favor of you in this letter. After all that I have
experienced in these six long years and have lost all interest in this country (with that
you certainly can sympathize with) I ask that you help me to emigrate to the United
States. I am not shy of work and would be eternally thankful to you if you could help me.
The main thing is to have a roof over my head and earn that which I need and finally never
to see or hear from this land again. I don't have parents anymore and I have no
obligations to anyone and no one to keep me here. I have already inquired at the American
Consulate in Vienna in regards to the transportation, however I must have someone who will
vouch for me. Please, Hans perhaps it is possible to at least write to me. Until then I
will close with sincere greetings and hope to hear from you. Please give my regards to
your mother and Mrs. Olly.
Yours truly,
Josef Weisseneder
Click the "Next" button for some additional Bogyansky family mementoes.
