Welcome to a new edition of evil:austria!

A new month, a new accumulation of atrocities. Just like last month's edition, this one mostly deals with the more and more obviously displayed entanglements of the FPOe with the organised right-wing extremism. Other than that, there's also the sadly already usual blend of historical revisionism, aggravation of laws, etc.

And now a short explanation (for the newcomers) of what this newsletter should be and why we write it:

evil:austria is our monthly newsletter providing information about the situation in Austria (and regarding the consequences of FPOe/OeVP government). We decided to produce this newsletter since we realised that knowledge regarding the actual situation in Austria is not very widespread abroad. The government, after discussions about EU-"sanctions" against Austria were dropped, succeeded in removing the daily insanity from the attention of the international public. Meanwhile "sanctions" have been lifted, which almost all political groups here celebrated as a victory, and the "interest" taken in the development in Austria has decreased even more. The "normalisation" of the right-wing/right-extreme government continues, and therefore information about the aggravation of the situation in Austria is even more important. It is therefore highly desired that you spread this newsletter as widely as possible, so that as many people as possible get to know about the situation in Austria. So please spread, spread, spread this. Of course you may also use this material (also in excerpts) for magazines and papers, but we would be glad if you sent us a short mail in this case.

Any criticism and comments please send to (if possible, please write in German or English):

raw@raw.at

Have fun!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ;begin content >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

****************************************************************
[1] Manifestaton of the extreme right with strong participation of the FPOe
****************************************************************
[2] Right, cut, march!
****************************************************************
[3] Haider's European Platform takes shape
****************************************************************
[4] Ban on masking during demonstrations passed
****************************************************************
[5] A "true Austrian"
****************************************************************
[6] Austrian offspring of the NPD founded
****************************************************************
[7] The country of sticks-in-the-mud (1)
****************************************************************
[8] The country of sticks-in-the-mud (2)
****************************************************************
[9] The country of sticks-in-the-mud (3)
****************************************************************
[10] Ministry for sexual discrimination
****************************************************************
[11] Torture-policeman will not be extradited
****************************************************************
[12] Experienced "citizens' watch"
****************************************************************
[13] FPOe plans further aggravations in the political asylum laws
****************************************************************
[14] The minister of justice and the freedom of journalism
****************************************************************
[15] Political clear-up operations
****************************************************************
[16] More ado about the Benes decrees
****************************************************************
[17] Messages of greeting
****************************************************************
[18] Election manipulation
****************************************************************

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ;end content >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

****************************************************************
[1] Manifestaton of the extreme right with strong participation of the FPOe
****************************************************************

Once again, the Austrian government quite impressively proved their will to support the scene of the extreme right on May 8th. A massive police presence ensured that 400 members of right-wing extremist fraternities could hold their manifestation for the memory of the fallen German soldiers on the day of the capitulation of Hitler-Germany or, as they call it, the day of "total defeat" without any disturbances. For this purpose, 2300 policemen were deployed and large parts of the inner city were closed off of course, only to people who aren't associated with those right-winged fraternities. Various antifascist manifestations among others, one liberation party planned by a bourgeois alliance and a left-winged demonstration were forbidden by the police. The liberation party had to be held at another place, the demonstration could take place with some restrictions. This can also be attributed to the fact that at any rate 5000-6000 antifascists came to express their displeasure about these right-wing activities.

And how necessary this is can be revealed with a short look at the manifestation of the fraternity members: Organised by the obviously extreme-right fraternities that have close relations to the FPOe who have already participated in the planning of the neo-nazi manifestation against the Wehrmachts-exhibition on April 13th (see evil:austria 0402) -, numerous neo-nazis participated. For example, one of the marshals at the manifestation was a former "Kameradschaftsfuehrer" of the Volkstreue Ausserparlamentarische Opposition (VAPO) which has been disbanded because of it's national socialist activities. The FPOe-politician Ewald Stadler once again made a speech and couldn't avoid expressing his sympathy for the German neo-nazi Horst Mahler who as Stadler commended "deals with our history, free from taboos".

Another speaker was the FPOe-member of parliament Jung, who had frankly said in an interviews a few days earlier that the Austrian nation was no good to him and that he felt a German. In the surroundings of the nazi-memorial, the FPOe-youth organised a discussion with the German right-wing extremist Claus Nordbruch who lives in South Africa. In his speech, Nordbruch mainly praised the "achievements" of the National Socialists, especially the "success" of the German economy in the years 1938-45.

(sources: own investigation, http://www.doew.at, http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[2] Right, cut, march!
****************************************************************

Right on time for May 8th the day of the capitulation of Nazi Germany the state-owned TV station ORF made a very special contribution to the historical reappraisal: In the war film "Ardennes 1944 The Last Battle" which was broadcast that day, a scene in which the SS carries through a massacre against captured US-soldiers was removed.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[3] Haider's European Platform takes shape
****************************************************************

There have been regular indications for the founding of a platform of European parties of the extreme right coming from the FPOe for quite a while, but the project now finally seems to take shape. Joerg Haider, head of the Carinthian provincial government, however, prefers to call this a "common platform" of the "populist parties" with the name "A Europe of Citizens" as the antithesis of the "Europe of Bureaucrats".

In an interview he also talked about the potential allies: For example, in Italy he could imagine a co-operation with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia as well as with the Lega Nord and the Allianza Nazionale. Already months ago, the French Mouvement National Republicain and the Belgian Vlaams Blok also stated their interest in a co-operation.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[4] Ban on masking during demonstrations passed
****************************************************************

The black-blue government has reached an agreement about the introduction of a law that forbids demonstrators to mask their faces: Even carrying an "object suitable for masking" with one on the way to a manifestation can be prosecuted with a fine of up to 720 Euro. For a masked participation in a demonstration in combination with carrying objects that can serve for the use of violence (such as bottles or wooden slats), a prison sentence of up to half a year is provided, in case of repetition up to a year.
By the way, an actual use of violence is not required for conviction.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[5] A "true Austrian"
****************************************************************

Minister of the Interior Strasser once again distinguished himself as a "true Austrian": He proved his ability to ignore even the most obvious facts in a TV interview. The interview concerns a march of Austrian and German neo-nazis through Vienna's inner city after a demonstration of theirs against the so-called "Wehrmachts-exhibition" (see evil:austria 0402). On a video of this march that was even broadcast on TV, "Sieg Heil!"-shouts can clearly be heard however, Strasser won't admit to having heard them. Meanwhile, the investigating authorities have adapted to the partial perception of their superior they instituted proceedings against 36 persons for suspicion of national socialist activity, but failed to mention the "Sieg Heil"-shouts at all.

Oh yes, and for anyone who wants to hear and see what the Minister of the Interior doesn't want to admit:
http://www.oeh.univie.ac.at/aktuelles/videos.htm

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[6] Austrian offspring of the NPD founded
****************************************************************
With the Nationaldemokratische Partei Oesterreichs (NPOe), an offspring of the right-wing extremist German NPD was just founded. The statutes of the NPOe are for the most part identical (even in the wording) to those of the big German brother, centre of the political program is the demand for a German "Volksgemeinschaft" (ethnic community).

However, it is rather questionable if the NPOe is going to be a success because they presented a great opportunity for the government to distance itself from neo-nazism with good publicity when the demonstrations on May 8th (see above) caused discussions about the relations of the FPOe into the openly extreme-right camp: Inquiries against the founder of the NPOe, the Styrian Gregor Maierhofer, for national-socialist activities have already been initiated.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[7] The country of sticks-in-the-mud (1)
****************************************************************

There is still no rehabilitation for deserters of the Wehrmacht in Austria. In these parts, the discussion about those deserters always turns into one about the motives of the concerned individuals. This is probably related to the "reverse law" of 1945, according to which the republic would have had to see to the annulment of the convictions of the NS-military justice. But this never happened. After the collective rehabilitation of the deserters in Germany, Austria is now the only country in which deserters are neither rehabilitated nor accepted as NS-victims by social law.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[8] The country of sticks-in-the-mud (2)
****************************************************************

While members of German-nationalist fraternities may visit the right-wing extremist Siegfriedskopf-monument in the hall of the University of Vienna every Wednesday, a film presentation that was also supposed to take place there was forbidden by the university headship. According to the university, time and place of the showing were "inconvenient".

Apparently, there's place at university for right-wing extremist views, but not for a memorial for the victims of National Socialism. Because the forbidden showing would have been contributions from the series "Vergessene Opfer" (="Forgotten Victims"), in which people who haven't been accepted as victims of National Socialism by some of the responsible authorities for a long time (or who still aren't accepted as such) tell the stories of their lives.

(sources: http://derstandard.at, http://go.to/standbild)

****************************************************************
[9] The country of sticks-in-the-mud (3)
****************************************************************

When somebody in Austria positively refers to the age of National Socialism in some way, this is usually neither a scandal nor does it have any consequences. But when the state-owned TV station ORF transmits a documentary about Carinthian partisans, active resistance fighters against the National Socialism, the mob of sticks in the mud gets active: No "less a person" than the head of the Carinthian provincial government, Joerg Haider (FPOe) and the "Ulrichsberg-community" which organises an annual meeting of European right wing extremists with leading participation of the SS-veterans of the "Kameradschaft IV" protest officially. They saw "falsification of history", "blatant untruths" and an "offending of objectivity" in the ORF-programme.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[10] Ministry for sexual discrimination
****************************************************************

"In school, you learn something for life", they always say in Austria, this for instance means to learn to discriminate against gays and lesbians: One biology textbook says that "the actual aim of human sex life and its erotic is the partner of the opposite sex" and that homosexuality was "a biological mistake". And then, quite in the family-political manner: "Masturbation may bring an occasional sexual relaxation, but should always remain a compromise solution. For the actual aim of human sex life and its erotic is the partner of the opposite sex"...

The Minister of Education Elisabeth Gehrer (OeVP), when asked about this, cannot find anything discriminating in these phrasings.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[11] Torture-policeman will not be extradited
****************************************************************

The Austrian UN-police officer who is suspected of having committed torture in Kosovo and who was brought home by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a cloak-and-dagger operation (see evil:austria 0302) also won't be extradited in the future. Even though an international warrant against him has been issued by the UN in the meantime, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice refuse to pursue that.

In case of an extradition, the police officer would have to face an international trial that would accuse him in 5 points: Grievous bodily harm, enforcement of a statement under pressure, maltreatment in office, abuse of his position and false statement.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[12] Experienced "citizens' watch"
****************************************************************

Since middle of May, a "citizens' watch", which is sponsored by the FPOe with 25.000 Euro and which consequently mainly consists of FPOe-members, patrols through Graz (see evil:austria 0402). Up to now, there are 30 persons who equipped with video camera and mobile phone want to protect the Styrian capital from supposed drug dealers, drunks and pickpockets. Boss of this group is a certain Mister Endres, who is not only a colonel with the Austrian Bundesheer but also a member of the "Kameradschaft IV", an organisation of proud SS-veterans.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[13] FPOe plans further aggravations in the political asylum laws
****************************************************************

The chairman of the parliamentary club of the FPOe, Peter Westenthaler, demanded a further aggravation of asylum laws in a press conference. An obligation to register with the local authorities every two weeks should be introduced for all applicants for political asylum. If they failed to do that, their application would automatically be rejected. In case of an objection against the rejection of an application, the decision of the first court should serve as a basis in the future, so the case wouldn't be reopened. Also, applicants for political asylum should not be allowed to make a new application for the same reason anymore.
The question where asylum applications for Austria may be made remains open. Minister of the Interior Strasser (OeVP) wants to limit it so that applications can only be made in Austria, but Westenthaler can also imagine to permit applications only if they are made in foreign countries.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[14] The minister of justice and the freedom of journalism
****************************************************************

An editor of the Viennese city paper "Falter" wanted to do an interview with the new head of the place of detention in Stein. So far, so simple. This requires an approval by the press office of the Ministry of Justice usually just a matter of form which in this case, in spite of the agreement of the head of the institute, was refused. This happened with the comment that a co-operation with the journalist was impossible because he had "falsely quoted" officials in interviews about the re-structuring of the Ministry of Justice. The fact that that journalist has written a few articles in the past that were unpleasant for the Minister of Justice is, of course, entirely unrelated...

P.S.: By the way, the very same Minister of Justice regularly holds lectures in schools about the topic of "freedom of the press"...

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[15] Political clear-up operations
****************************************************************

Terrific "progress" can be announced from the Ministry of the Interior: Thanks to the abolition of the department for foreigners, another high-ranking official that was still inaugurated by a social-democratic minister will by removed from office. This fits well into a series of acts by Minister Strasser to get rid of officials that have fallen out of favour that has been going on since the inauguration of the government. Next should be the closing of 15 offices of the "Staatspolizei" (state police), which is traditionally dominated by social democrats.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[16] More ado about the Benes decrees
****************************************************************

The discussion about the Benes decrees (see, among others, evil:austria 0402) just goes on and on. Hardly a day passes on which the decrees don't get called an injustice officially in some way and on which the Czech Republic's entry into the EU doesn't get questioned. The professional exiles are feeling more comfortable than ever. Revanchism and the denial of the holocaust have never been this simple. Last week, Barbara Rosenkranz, club representative of the Lower Austrian FPOe, invited to a conference about the Benes decrees. All the speakers, of course, were right winged. Barbara Rosenkranz demanded: "It is important to catch up on the failings of contemporary history and school lessons and to bring the questions of the Benes decrees now, before Czechia enters the EU, into political debate and to solve them."

Concerning the school lessons, recently an important foundation for further revisionism was made with a school film about the "expulsion" of the Germans. The screenplay for this project was contributed by the "Verband der Volksdeutschen Landsmannschaften Oesterreichs". And the longer-term financial covering of revanchism and revisionism is also being seen to: On initiative of the FPOe and with the consent of the heads of all the provincial governments, a foundation for the exiles is currently being founded. In total, the state and the provinces intend to pay 7.3 million Euro into that foundation. FPOe-Member of Parliament Graf is pleased about this "strong symbol" which is being set by the Republic of Austria this way.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[17] Messages of greeting
****************************************************************

On Saturday, May 25th, the right-wing extremist "Alpenlaendische Kulturverband der Suedmark" (AKVS) celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The target of the association is similar to that of the "Oesterreichische Landsmannschaft" (LM); the organisation takes care of the "expatriate Styrians" and has a projection surface similar to the Benes decrees, but less "popular" for it's ethnic frenzy in the form of the Avnoj decrees, with which the expropriation of the Germans in Yugoslavia was settled. The magazine of the AKVS, "Lot und Waage", likes to warn of the "eclipsing" of the home by "foreign peoples".

The right-wing historian and FPOe-mentor Lothar Hoebelt made a speech about the topic "From the bond of the Reich to the bridge of the EU. German ethnic groups in the East their cultural and political significance in past, presence and future". Before that speech, the mayor of the city of Graz Alfred Stingl (SPOe) and the head of the provincial government Waltraud Klasnic (OeVP) said their messages of greeting.

While there were still (albeit half-hearted) discussions about laws "concerning the ban of sponsorship of right-wing extremist media and publications" in the Styrian state parliament a few years ago in the centre of the debate were the magazines "Lot und Waage", "Aula" and "Recht und Ordnung" appearances at nationalist-revanchist festivities are apparently now part of the standard programme of every Austrian politician. A few years ago, the OeVP-politician Dr. Lopotka explained the position of the OeVP during the aforementioned debate in the Styrian parliament: "It certainly isn't our aim to sponsor extremisms with the financial means of the state. That should have been clear to us for a long time". (applause from the OeVP). Oh, how times change...

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
[18] Election manipulation
****************************************************************

The public prosecutors investigate against a trade union with FPOe-leanings for suspicion of manipulation of support statements. The platform KUG/AUF (Committee of Independent Unionists/Action Community of Independents and Freiheitliche) needed support statements so they could candidate for the representation of public employees of the city of Vienna. In order to also get support from non-FPOe-sympathisers, only the name of the unsuspicious "Platform KUG" was mentioned on the distributed list of signatures, while the name of the AUF (which is widely known as sympathising with the FPOe) was only added to the lists after the fact in handwriting. The speaker of the KUF/AUF calls these happenings "a bit of sloppiness" and the legal proceedings as "pure political squabble". It's not yet clarified if there will also be a charge for forging of signatures.

(source: http://derstandard.at)

****************************************************************
EPILOGUE
****************************************************************

If you do not wish to receive our newsletters any longer, please drop us a short mail to this effect. But please first make certain that you are receiving our newsletters DIRECTLY from us - otherwise please contact the friendly persons who forwarded our newsletter to you ;))))))

But of course we are much more pleased if you contact us because you want to subscribe to our newsletter. Any person who would like to receive our newsletters directly, thus making certain to receive every issue, please send us a mail and tell us to include you to our mailing list. (Again we would like to ask you to write in German or English!)

It is also simple to subscribe to our newsletter on our website (http://www.raw.at) in the field "Kontakt". Just put in your e-mail address and chose the appropriate language(s) and that's it!

See you again next month,

NO PEACE WITH AUSTRIA!!!