17-year-old convicted

Hitler glorified due to “fear of bullying”

The jury decides the fate of the accused in the jury courtroom of the Salzburg provincial court.

(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

A 17-year-old from Salzburg shared a total of 146 pictures glorifying the Nazi era and Adolf Hitler. Reason: He wanted the attention of his classmates. And he didn't want to be teased anymore. After the police visit, the teenager realized what he was doing. 

The accused, who until recently attended compulsory school, was a victim of bullying because he was overweight. After changing schools, he tried to make friends with his new classmates, who apparently shared horrible pictures and collages of Hitler and the Nazi era for fun: usually accompanied by macabre and right-wing extremist sentences. That's why he started sharing such pictures himself, the 17-year-old from Salzburg explained to the jury on Wednesday: "I wanted recognition and to stop being bullied."

Concentration camp visit left impressions
A record-breaking 146 such pictures - also known as "memes" in internet parlance - have been sent around via WhatsApp since 2021. Until the police arrived at his door last year. The officers' appearance left an impression, reports defense lawyer Michael Hofer: the 17-year-old then visited a concentration camp memorial with his grandfather. This had left its mark and made him realize who and what he was actually supporting: "It shocked me."

As the accused is not yet of legal age, a lower sentence applies: Five months' imprisonment on probation is the already legally binding sentence.