This topic concerns Irving's reliance on financial support and the perspectives of individuals and groups who have contributed to or interacted with him. It highlights the complex relationships Irving cultivated with donors and the ideological alignments that underpinned these connections.
Irving’s activities and dissemination of his views were dependent on financial support, which came from various sources. These sources often reflected Irving’s own controversial viewpoints and aligned with specific political and ideological positions. The nature of these donations and the perspectives of supporters reveal a network of individuals and groups who shared Irving’s revisionist historical interpretations.
* 2017: Received encouragement and support from individuals, described as "another encouraging fan letter from Eth" (diary_2017_may_oct). * 2019: Received communications from "German National Socialists, Australians, Persucuted South African Anglo/Saxons, Russians and of course American 'so called' national socialists" (diary_2019_jan_may). Irving viewed some of these contacts as "uneducated hotheads" but sought a "United front" of movements against what he termed "the Zionist plot of White Genocide." * 2021: Expressed agreement with criticism of English fans and noted a "lot of muttered criticism" regarding the selection of Black players for the national team (diary_2021). * 2023-2024: Irving received emails soliciting donations for the Wikimedia Foundation, highlighting his past support (emails_2023_2024). He also received emails expressing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including criticism of the Albanese government's support for a UN resolution and condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza (emails_2023_2024). One email from Buddy Silver to Charlie Kirk discussed a perceived distortion of truth regarding images from the conflict (emails_2023_2024). Another email from Josef K. Schwanzer linked to an article discussing a Jewish father and his Antifa-supporting son (emails_2023_2024). Irving also received emails criticizing US government actions and media coverage related to Israel and Gaza (emails_2023_2024). * 2023-2024: Irving noted a call for Jewish donors to prioritize Jewish charitable giving, suggesting a potential shift in financial support within the Jewish community (emails_2023_2024).
Early support appeared to be from individual fans. Over time, Irving engaged with organized groups, including those identifying as National Socialist. The 2023-2024 emails reveal a more focused engagement with individuals and groups expressing specific political and ideological viewpoints, particularly concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
* Political affiliations * Ideology * International relations * Revisionism