I am not saying that during the Second World War Germany did not, under the leadership of the National Socialist government, commit crimes.

Ernst Zundel's quote is a contentious statement that reflects his controversial views on the historical events of the Second World War. In the quote, Zundel acknowledges that Germany, under the leadership of the National Socialist government (commonly associated with Adolf Hitler), did indeed commit crimes. However, his phrasing suggests an attempt to downplay the extent or nature of these crimes, which has been a focal point of much of his rhetoric. Zundel is known for promoting Holocaust denial and making statements that challenge widely accepted historical facts about the war and its atrocities.

The quote, when taken in context with Zundel's broader views, suggests a minimization of the crimes committed during the war. His statements have often been used to promote a revisionist narrative of history, especially regarding the Holocaust, where millions of Jews and other minorities were systematically murdered by the Nazi regime. By acknowledging some crimes while downplaying their severity, Zundel attempts to cast doubt on the historical narrative and portray the events in a more favorable light for the National Socialist regime.

Zundel’s position has been widely criticized and condemned by historians, scholars, and survivors of the Holocaust, as it contradicts the overwhelming evidence of war crimes and genocide carried out by the Nazi government. His views represent a form of historical revisionism, which aims to challenge or distort established facts, often for ideological reasons. Such rhetoric has been associated with neo-Nazi movements and other extremist ideologies seeking to rehabilitate the image of the Third Reich.

The origin of the quote is tied to Zundel's long history of publishing and promoting Holocaust denial literature, including his infamous pamphlet "Did Six Million Really Die?" and his involvement in various legal battles over the dissemination of his views. His statements and actions have been the subject of considerable controversy, as they undermine the historical record and the suffering of those who endured the horrors of the Nazi regime.