The winners of Iran’s bizarre, ugly Holocaust “cartoon contest” have been announced: Frenchman winner of Holocaust cartoon contest. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

The overall winner is a Moroccan by the name of Abdollah Derkaoui. The unnamed Frenchman shares second place with a name familiar to long-time LGF readers: repulsive Brazilian antisemite Carlos Latuff.

TEHRAN, Nov 1, 2006 (AFP) - A Frenchman was among the winners of a controversial competition for cartoons on the Holocaust announced by Iranian Culture Minister Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Harandi Wednesday.

The Frenchman, whose name and entry were not released to protect him from possible prosecution in his homeland, came second equal with Brazilian Carlos Latuff, whose caricature showed a Palestinian wearing a uniform like that which Jews were required to wear in Nazi concentration camps.

The pair will share a prize of US $8,000. France is home to the world’s second largest Jewish community outside Israel, as well as Europe’s largest Muslim population.

The first prize of US $12,000 went to Moroccan Abdullah Derkawi who drew a crane bearing the Star of David at work on a section of Israel’s West Bank separation barrier that he depicted bearing a photograph of the gateway to the Auschwitz death camp.

“The Holocaust is a myth and this issue has finally made waves thanks to the action of President (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad in daring to express himself on the subject and break the Holocaust taboo,” Saffar-Harandi said as he announced the prize winners.

None of the foreign winners were present at the award ceremony.