The chemist whose discredited report became a cornerstone of Holocaust denial

History · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the early 1990s, a German chemist used his academic credentials to challenge the historical reality of the Holocaust. Today, his debunked findings are being used to influence American school curriculum, proving that disinformation can travel far beyond its original borders.

Germar Rudolf, a German chemist who studied in Bonn and worked at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, gained notoriety through his 1991 paper regarding cyanide compounds in the Auschwitz gas chambers. Writing on behalf of a lawyer defending a former Wehrmacht general, Rudolf claimed that only insignificant traces of cyanide were present in the chambers. However, experts such as Robert Jan van Pelt and Richard Green have identified fundamental flaws in his methodology, noting that Rudolf failed to account for the formation of iron-based cyanide compounds, which are unreliable indicators of mass murder.

The consequences for Rudolf's academic career were severe. After it was discovered he used Max Planck Institute stationery to commission external testing, he was dismissed. By 1996, the University of Stuttgart effectively blocked him from completing his PhD. Despite this, his work continued to be utilized by lawyers like Hajo Herrmann to defend Holocaust deniers between 1991 and 1994.

The reach of Rudolf's influence recently surfaced in the American political landscape. In New Hampshire, Republican State Representative Matt Sabourin dit Choinière proposed an amendment to the state's Commission on Holocaust and Genocide Education. The amendment sought to appoint a member from an extremist group led by Rudolf. Although the proposal failed, the incident highlighted how antisemitic conspiracy theories are attempting to enter the American political mainstream.

Rudolf's personal history in the U.S. is equally turbulent. Beyond his activism, he was convicted in Pennsylvania in 2020 for indecent exposure at a children's playground. During that trial, he claimed a bottle of baby oil found with him was merely a skin lubricant for his training as a triathlete, an explanation the jury rejected.

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