( CNN ) -- Oprah Winfrey once dubbed it the `` greatest love story '' she had ever heard : a boy held at a Nazi concentration camp during World War II and a girl on the outside who tossed him apples to keep him alive . They eventually married and grew old together . Herman Rosenblat has acknowledged his Holocaust love story is fake : `` I am sorry . '' It turns out the story of Herman and Roma Rosenblat is n't true . The two had told their love story for years and years , inspiring a book deal , an upcoming movie , and stories across the globe on television , in papers and on the Internet . A children 's book , `` Angel Girl , '' was also based on their love story . When the couple appeared on `` The Oprah Winfrey Show '' more than a decade ago , the famed host called it `` the single greatest love story in 22 years of doing this show . '' Watch how Holocaust love story proves bogus » . But over the weekend , Herman Rosenblat issued a statement through his literary agent , Andrea Hurst , acknowledging the story of how he met his wife was made up . `` Why did I do that and write the story with the girl and the apple , because I wanted to bring happiness to people , to remind them not to hate , but to love and tolerate all people . I brought good feelings to a lot of people , and I brought hope to many . My motivation was to make good in this world , '' he said in the statement . `` In my dreams , Roma will always throw me an apple , but I now know it is only a dream . '' Herman Rosenblat really was in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II -- a subcamp of Buchenwald -- and he really has been married to Roma for decades . Beyond that , the truth is murky . See the true horrors inside Buchenwald concentration camp » . Berkley Books immediately canceled publication of Rosenblat 's memoir , `` Angel at the Fence , '' which was set to be released in February . `` Berkley will demand that the author and the agent return all money that they have received for this work , '' Berkley spokesman Craig Burke said in a statement . A movie version of the Rosenblats ' story -- even though now proven a hoax -- remains in the works . Atlantic Overseas Pictures says the movie is a fictionalized adaptation and that `` the story retains its power to grip audiences worldwide . '' Many Holocaust scholars had long cast doubt on the Rosenblats ' story . Professor Ken Waltzer , the director of Michigan State University 's Jewish Studies program , said he began raising questions to the agent and publisher in November , suggesting that the story was fabricated . But he says his numerous queries went unanswered . He says he told the editor that the story is `` at best embellished and perhaps invented . '' `` The idea of a prisoner being able autonomously to approach the fence not just once , but every day at the same time , ... none of it seemed plausible , '' Waltzer says . `` That fence was right next to the SS barracks , so to go to the fence , which was also punishable by death , was to risk death . '' In a letter to `` The New Republic , '' which first began questioning the validity of the Rosenblats ' story , Waltzer said he was also disturbed about why few others had come forward to point out holes in the couple 's account . `` Less understandable is the widespread belief in their story -- by the culture makers , including the publisher and movie maker and many thousands of others who have encountered it over a decade , '' he said . `` Second , such belief suggests a broad illiteracy about the Holocaust and about experience in the camps -- despite decades of books , serious memoirs , museums , and movies . This shakes this historian up . '' `` This memoir was at the far end of implausibility , yet until yesterday , no one connected with packaging , promoting , and disseminating it asked questions about or investigated it . Some actively resisted such investigation and tried to shut mine down . '' New Republic special correspondent Gabriel Sherman told CNN another disturbing element is that Herman Rosenblat really is a Holocaust survivor who `` did n't need to embellish his love story , because his own story is so powerful . '' Watch Sherman describe the unraveling of the love story » . Sherman said Rosenblat was shot during a robbery in the 1990s at his workplace . When he was was in the hospital , Rosenblat said he had a vision from his mother to tell his love story . `` From that moment on , he started telling his story in public , '' Sherman said . In his statement released over the weekend , Herman Rosenblat said , `` To all [ who ] supported and believed in me and this story , I am sorry for all I have caused to you and everyone else in the world . '' Holocaust scholars say they hope the revelation that the love story is fictitious does n't distract from the reality of the Holocaust , when Nazi Germany killed 6 million Jews . `` On the far extreme , something like this could give fuel to those who are in the business of denying that the Holocaust ever took place , '' said David Marwell , director of The Museum of Jewish Heritage . CNN 's John Zarrella and Randi Kaye contributed to this report .
Herman scholar says his Holocaust love story is false : ` ` I am sorry '' Book ##maker pulls plug on movie that was to be released in February . Scholar says he notified author of doubts : ` ` None of it seemed plausible '' Moviemakers say they still plan to make movie , even though it is n't true .