''Défense de l’Occident'' (English: ''Defense of the West'') was a French

neo-fascist Neo-fascism is a post-World War II far-right ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. Neo-fascism usually includes ultranationalism, racial supremacy, populism, authoritarianism, nativism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration sent ...

magazine founded by

Maurice Bardèche Maurice Bardèche (1 October 1907 – 30 July 1998) was a French art critic and journalist, better known as one of the leading exponents of neo-fascism in post–World War II Europe. Bardèche was also the brother-in-law of the collaborationist ...

and published from 1952 to 1982. It was the most significant far-right magazine in post-WWII France, providing an arena for the promotion of neo-fascist ideas and

Holocaust denial Holocaust denial is an antisemitic conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that the Nazi genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust, is a myth, fabrication, or exaggeration. Holocaust deniers make one or more of the following false statements: ...

History

The magazine was established by

and Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour in December 1952. Based in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, its original aim was to diffuse ideas of the neo-fascist European Social Movement in France. Promoting historical negationism and

anti-Zionism Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism. Although anti-Zionism is a heterogeneous phenomenon, all its proponents agree that the creation of the modern State of Israel, and the movement to create a sovereign Jewish state in the region of Palestin ...

, ''Défense de l'Occident'' denounced the ''

épuration légale The ''épuration légale'' (French "legal purge") was the wave of official trials that followed the Liberation of France and the fall of the Vichy Regime. The trials were largely conducted from 1944 to 1949, with subsequent legal action continui ...

'' (the French purge of Nazi collaborators) as the "revenge of the victors". In an article from November 1954, the magazine refuted the idea of the extermination of the Jews during WWII and proposed to relocate the

state of Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

in December 1955. From the 1960s onward, ''Défense de l’Occident'' developed a "shape-shifting negationism": it rehabilitated the

Vichy regime Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...

as "protector of the Jews", condemned the

Nuremberg trials The Nuremberg trials were held by the Allies of World War II, Allies against representatives of the defeated Nazi Germany, for plotting and carrying out invasions of other countries, and other crimes, in World War II. Between 1939 and 1945 ...

as a symbol of injustice, and denounced Israel as a "land stolen from Arabs and billions f Reichsmark">Reichsmark.html" ;"title="f Reichsmark">f Reichsmarktaken from Germans through the blackmail of 'Nazi war crimes' [quoted in text]".

Organization

The managing editor was Jacques Poillot between 1952 and 1960. Its contributors, mostly unpaid, included Marc Augier, Henry Coston,

Paul Rassinier Paul Rassinier (18 March 1906 – 28 July 1967) was a political activist and writer who is viewed as "the father of Holocaust denial". Totten, Samuel; Bartrop, Paul Robert; Jacobs, Steven L. "Rassinier, Paul", ''Dictionary of Genocide'', Vo ...

, or

François d'Orcival Amaury de Chaunac-Lanzac (born 11 February 1942), better known as François d'Orcival, is a French conservative journalist and essayist. He is the president of the editorial committee at '' Valeurs Actuelles'' and sits on the board of directors of ...

. ''Défense de l’Occident'' managed to survived over 30 years despite a limited audience due to the ideological consistency of both its leader

and the journal's collaborators, as well as the thematic adaptions of the articles depending on the historical context.

References

External links

* Setze, J.F. "Le Camp Des Saints." ''Defense de l'Occident'', No. 111, May-June 1973. (French). 1952 establishments in France 1982 disestablishments in France Conservative magazines Defunct political magazines published in France French-language magazines Magazines established in 1952 Magazines disestablished in 1982 Magazines published in Paris {{Europe-poli-mag-stub