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Sir Ben Kingsley: Europe Did Not Grieve the Holocaust
INN ^ | 1/26/2015, 5:59 PM | Yoni Kempinski and Ari Soffer

Posted on 01/26/2015 2:01:30 PM PST by Olog-hai

Award-winning veteran actor and storyteller Sir Ben Kingsley was among the dignitaries at the first day of the Let My People Live Forum in Prague, and used the opportunity to explain why in his view Europe has failed to fully come to terms with the crimes of the holocaust. […]

One of the greatest tragedies, he insisted, was the fact that in his view, “Europe did not grieve in 1945. It moved on. It found another enemy; it found other issues. The first step in healing is for us to collectively grieve—we have missed that crucial step.” As a result, he warned, “we are in terrible danger, because of missing the step of grieving, of sliding back.” […]

… (H)e lamented that some in Europe were determined to forget—ironically, as a pretext to perpetuate anti-Semitism—relating a particular experience he had at the set of one of his films in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. An old man approached the movie’s cast to ask what they were filming. Upon hearing the production would be about the holocaust, he retorted, “It never happened, and if you don’t shut up, it will happen again!”

“How about that? Isn't that totally screwy?” asked an incredulous Kingsley. …

(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...


TOPICS: Israel; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: europe; eussr; holocaust; holocaustdenial; hungary; rop
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1 posted on 01/26/2015 2:01:30 PM PST by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

There wasn’t enough grieving for the civil war in the usa.


2 posted on 01/26/2015 2:03:28 PM PST by ckilmer (q)
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To: Olog-hai
Hmm...I'm all for bashing Europe over the Holocaust but Sir Ben (as he insists bell hops refer to him) isn't exactly Santayana.
3 posted on 01/26/2015 2:04:47 PM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: miss marmelstein

No denying that, but maybe his mugging by reality is starting.


4 posted on 01/26/2015 2:06:46 PM PST by Olog-hai
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To: ckilmer

The Democratic Party saw to that.


5 posted on 01/26/2015 2:07:09 PM PST by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

Maybe. Of course I don’t know why he’s even commenting - he’s got a new movie out?


6 posted on 01/26/2015 2:08:02 PM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: Olog-hai

1945?

They were grieving their own dead.


7 posted on 01/26/2015 2:09:33 PM PST by Balding_Eagle (The Gruber Revelations are proof that God is still smiling on America.)
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To: Olog-hai

I don’t know the guy’s politics, but he’s one of my favorite actors.


8 posted on 01/26/2015 2:09:54 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: miss marmelstein

Sir Ben (as he insists bell hops refer to him)


I always liked the Sopranos episode he was in, as himself, and Christopher called him “Sir Kingsley” :)


9 posted on 01/26/2015 2:12:02 PM PST by jttpwalsh
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To: Olog-hai

He is right in one case, behind the Iron Curtain, the Holocaust was explained away as Anti-Fascist opponents of Hitler were the ones killed, and that Jews weren’t necessarily singled out. Only when the Wall came down, did those behind the Iron Curtain began hearing the full truth.


10 posted on 01/26/2015 2:12:31 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

There’s a movement in loony anti-Israel circles that claim that Hitler only killed anti-Zionist Jews (and was supported by Zionists). It takes all kinds.


11 posted on 01/26/2015 2:15:50 PM PST by Borges
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To: jttpwalsh

He now insists that everybody call him “Benny” - he took so much grief over his knighthood, lol!


12 posted on 01/26/2015 2:16:08 PM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: miss marmelstein

He now insists that everybody call him “Benny”


Thanks for your reply - serious, or joking ?


13 posted on 01/26/2015 2:17:24 PM PST by jttpwalsh
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To: jttpwalsh
Joking about the “Benny” bit but he gets furious if anyone remembers he once insisted that he be called “Sir Ben” on movie sets. After all, Laurence Olivier asked people to call him “Larry” and Michael Caine never insisted on this sobriquet.
14 posted on 01/26/2015 2:20:01 PM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: Borges

I never heard this! I guess because I avoid anti-Israeli/Jewish media. That’s sick; but I certainly believe what you say. Sounds like Guardian commenters!


15 posted on 01/26/2015 2:21:39 PM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: Loyalty Binds Me)
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To: miss marmelstein

I think doing a few movies with Sascha Baron Cohen has loosened him up a bit.


16 posted on 01/26/2015 2:21:41 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: miss marmelstein

Oh well beyond the Guardian. It’s a narrative that basically blames ‘Zionists’ for Germany’s calamity in the war (since Hitler was just their agent). Ingenious in its’ mendacity is it not?


17 posted on 01/26/2015 2:26:08 PM PST by Borges
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To: Olog-hai

Seems the point has been bypassed for smart ass answers and attempted cute quips.

Europe has a problem. Kingsley is at least addressing it without blaming the Jews, and we can’t seem to get anyone who thinks that’s significant enough to address on it’s merits. Yikes!

Anotherwords, the guy is dead on target on three issues.

He says Europe has a problem.
He may be on to a reason why.
He hasn’t blamed the Jews.

I don’t give a fig about his title or the idiots who think that trumps his rational addressing of anti-Semtism in Europe, and trying to figure out why it exists so it can be eradicated.

When I get back from D. U., I’d like to see how they address this on FreeRepublic.


18 posted on 01/26/2015 2:26:48 PM PST by DoughtyOne (The question is Jeb Bush. The answer is NO!)
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To: dfwgator

He did do a picture where he played the composer Shostakovich. Behind the Iron Curtain?


19 posted on 01/26/2015 2:29:23 PM PST by BigEdLB (Now there ARE 1,000,000 regrets - but it may be too late.)
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To: Olog-hai

They grieved for years during the war. There wasn’t much to do after the war but to get on with life.


20 posted on 01/26/2015 2:30:04 PM PST by CodeToad (Islam should be outlawed and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
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