Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum: We will not share space with neo-fascists

(Patria) – The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum has asked the city authorities of Turin to intervene urgently regarding the participation of a publisher associated with the Italian neo-fascist party CasaPound in the city's international book fair. 

Representatives of the museum, which is also expected to participate in one of Europe's largest book fairs starting on Thursday, stated that they will withdraw if it is confirmed that the publishing house Altaforte will indeed participate.

“Victims who survived cannot be asked to share space with those who deny historical facts related to the Holocaust and who are trying to revive fascism in society,” reads the museum’s letter to the Turin city council. 

In addition to the museum, Italian writer Christian Raimo, historian Carlo Ginzburg, cartoonist Zerocalcare, and journalist Francesca Mannocchi have reacted to the announced participation of the publisher Altaforte.
A group of Italian authors called Wu Ming wrote on their website that “another step has been taken in Turin towards the acceptance of new black shirts on the Italian political and cultural scene.”

Finding themselves in a major dilemma regarding the decision, the fair organizers sought support via Facebook, announcing that they are “ambassadors of the Italian constitution,” quoting that “everyone has the right to freely express their thoughts through speech, writing, and any other means of communication.”

Incidentally, the controversial publisher Altaforte has published a new book about Matteo Salvini, the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy, who is also the controversial leader of the right-wing 'Lega' party. 

The city authorities of Turin have not yet responded to the letter from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, but Mayor Chiara Appendino, a politician from the Five Star Movement party, said on Monday that Turin is “anti-fascist.”

In an interview with La Stampa, Francesco Polacchi, president of the publishing house Altaforte, said: “I do not deny the Holocaust, but I will not give up my participation in the book fair.” He also praised Mussolini as “the best Italian statesman,” and said that fascism “helped rebuild the nation after World War I,” agencies reported.