Lipstadt

Deborah Lipstadt (born March 18, 1947) is an American historian and author, known for her work on Holocaust denial. She is the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Lipstadt is best known for her legal battle with British writer David Irving, who sued her for libel in 1996 after she called him a Holocaust denier in her book Denying the Holocaust. The trial, held in London in 2000, became a landmark case on the issue of Holocaust denial and historical accuracy. Lipstadt, with the support of Penguin Books and their legal team, successfully defended herself and proved Irving was a Holocaust denier and falsified historical evidence.

The outcome of the trial was widely considered a victory for historical truth and academic integrity. It affirmed the reality of the Holocaust and discredited Irving's pseudoscientific claims. The trial also served to raise awareness of the dangers of Holocaust denial and the importance of combating it.

Lipstadt has written extensively on the subject of Holocaust denial and antisemitism, including the books Beyond Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust, 1933-1945, History on Trial: My Day in Court With David Irving, and Antisemitism: Here and Now. She is a prominent voice in the fight against Holocaust denial and antisemitism and has been recognized for her contributions to historical scholarship and human rights. In 2022, she was appointed as the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.