Retired

died early Tuesday morning in his Woodbury, NJ home reports Record Online.

His death occurred following a blaze that broke out in his 19th century house where he lived for 34 years.

Magarelli taught sociology for five decades at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. He lived alone and was the only person in the house during the fire.

In 2018, Magarelli claimed that the “Gestapo was not a terrorist force for the majority of its existence”

According to a report in The Jewish Standard, Magarelli claimed that ‘Ashkenazi Jews are not genetically related to the ancient Israelites; that 175,000 German Jews found safe harbor in the German army during the Holocaust; and that Judaism has degenerated from a universal religion, with roots in ancient Egypt, to a racist religion.’

Magarelli died on Tuesday which was Holocaust Remembrance day in Israel.

According to Woodbury Fire Chief Scott McClennan Jr. the fire was  initially reported at around 4:15 a.m. by passing motorists on a Thruway, that runs behind Magarelli’s house. McClennan said that flames were flying out of the house’s second-story window when he arrived on the scene minutes later.

McLennan said fire investigators were trying to determine the cause of the fire, which which destroyed much of the second floor and roof, but had found nothing suspicious.

Magarelli’s wife had died years ago and the couple had no children.