Austria – 42% of Austrians Say Hitler Era Wasn’t All Bad

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    Photo illustrationAustria – Forty two percent of Austrians think “not everything was bad under Hitler,” while 57% think “there was nothing positive about the Hitler era,” according to a poll conducted by newspaper Der Standard that was published on Friday.

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    The poll was conducted among 502 eligible voters in Austria and published ahead of the 75th anniversary of the country’s annexation by Nazi Germany.

    61% thought the country adequately dealt with its Nazi past, while 39% thought more should be done.

    Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, and a debate still smoulders on whether Austrians were Hitler’s first victims or willing accomplices. Austria’s Jewish population was nearly wiped out in the ensuing Holocaust.

    54% answered that neo-Nazi groups would be successful in the Austrian elections, if there was no law banning them.

    In January, an Austrian court  sentenced a leading neo-Nazi figure to nine years in jail for his role in launching an extreme-right website that glorified Nazism.

    Gottfried Kuessel, 54, had denied any wrongdoing and told the court he had turned over a new leaf since serving a previous jail term for neo-Nazi activity, which is banned in Austria.

    But heeding prosecutors’ description of Kuessel as a prime leader of the extreme right, the jury voted 5-3 late on Thursday to convict him. Two other defendants got sentences of seven and four-and-a-half years.

    Jewish leaders have warned of late against what they called creeping tolerance of anti-Semitism in Austria.

    A rabbi said in September that neo-Nazi soccer fans had verbally abused him while police looked on, and a far-right politician drew criticism from the country’s president for posting a cartoon on his website that was widely seen as anti-Semitic.

    Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post


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    8 Comments
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    Chuna
    Chuna
    11 years ago

    Wasn’t all bad. He sure could draw a crowd!

    Berel13
    Berel13
    11 years ago

    For THEM It was not so bad

    11 years ago

    What do expect from the Austrians? Hitler was one of their own. He was born there. Remember Kurt Waldheim?

    Normal
    Normal
    11 years ago

    Not sure if it is such a great idea living somewhere where everyone hates you.

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    11 years ago

    Austria produced the spiritual mentor of Hitler, a devout Catholic and fierce antisemite Karl Lueger. In WW II Austrian Einsatzgruppen and SS units were on the forefront of the extermination of Jews

    marcia
    marcia
    11 years ago

    The hate that others have throughout the world for Jews is deep rooted and unfortunately continues. But the hate many Jews have for the Germans also continues and will as long as we keep saying it to our children. There is a public resurgence that is rearing it’s ugly head in the soccer world…anti-semitism in Germany in the stands and by the fans of Bundesleiger (sp) have kicked & beaten those who support freedom of religion. They are booing members of their own teams who are black and making “monkey” sounds when they come out. They hold up signs of bananas…the future is scary and we can not allow it to happen AGAIN!