Norwegian University Professor Accused of Holocaust Denial

A serious controversy involving antisemitic remarks and Holocaust denial has erupted within Norway's higher education system. Stefan Sander-Pass, an Austrian-born historian and professor at the University of Bergen, has been exposed for operating a private blog under a pseudonym where he published severe claims against the historical memory of the Holocaust. The blog, written in English, disseminated a dangerous revisionist narrative. Sander-Pass asserted that the Nazi regime never established facilities for mass extermination, mockingly placing the term "Holocaust" in quotation marks. When a commenter suggested fewer than six million Jews were murdered, he enthusiastically agreed, stating "Exactly!". He also described post-World War II accepted history as a "collection of lies" and expressed hope that Western elites would cease promoting what he called "terror propaganda related to the 'Holocaust'."

Following the exposure by the Austrian newspaper "Der Standard," Sander-Pass admitted to writing the blog but vehemently denied any connection to Nazi ideology, claiming his words were taken out of context and represented only his personal opinion. He evaded providing further explanation, stating that readers have the right to interpret his writings as they see fit and that the responsibility lies solely with the reader.

Surprisingly, the University of Bergen has chosen not to take action against the professor. University President Margaret Hagen and Head of the History Department Timo Riemer stated that the university does not monitor the private lives of its employees and that Sander-Pass's statements, however harsh, are protected under freedom of expression.

This indirect support from the university has sparked outrage. On Elpeleg, an Israeli living in Norway who monitors antisemitic incidents, sharply criticized the university's inaction. "It's simply shocking that a history professor denies the existence of extermination camps. Where have we reached? Now they are also denying Norway's murderous past," Elpeleg stated. He noted the painful irony that this incident occurs as Norway is about to mark 84 years since Norwegian police arrested and deported the country's Jews to Auschwitz on November 26.