"I am not saying that Hitler was a choir boy. But I am saying, let him who was innocent in the Second World War cast the first stone"

Ernst Zundel was a German publisher and pamphleteer understood for his Holocaust denial activities. The quote attributed to him, "I am not stating that Hitler was a choir kid. But I am saying, let him who was innocent in the Second World War cast the first stone", is emblematic of the controversial and polarizing story he often embraced.

In this declaration, Zundel is trying to lessen the particular responsibility of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany in the atrocities of World War II by conjuring up a scriptural referral. The phrase "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" originates from the New Testament, suggesting that nobody is without fault and thus needs to not be rash in passing judgment. By using this reference, Zundel suggests that other nations or leaders involved in World War II likewise have transgressions that should be acknowledged. This equivalency argument is problematic as it appears to relativize the distinct and methodical horrors of the Holocaust managed under Hitler's routine.

Moreover, Zundel's choice of words reveals an intriguing deflection. To state that "Hitler was not a choir young boy" is an understatement that trivializes the magnitude of Hitler's genocidal policies. Zundel's framing suggests an effort to invoke moral ambiguity about the war, wrongly equating the actions of various parties involved. This argument aligns with Holocaust denial rhetoric that looks for to obscure historical truths and shift focus far from going over the extent of Nazi war criminal activities.

Zundel's statement can be deemed part of a wider strategy to challenge established historic consensus and fix up the image of Nazi leaders by deflecting blame and sowing doubt relating to extensively accepted historic occasions. This rhetoric is not only historically incorrect however also deeply offensive, as it weakens the severity of the Holocaust and the suffering of countless victims. The quote exhibits the dangers of denialism and serves as a tip of the importance of vigilance in preserving historical truth.