October 11, 2008

Jörg Haider’s accident: myths and theories

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11.10.2018 06:00

It is October 11, exactly ten years ago that Carinthian governor Jörg Haider died in the wreck of his VW Phaeton south of Klagenfurt.

But Haider is still far from finding his final resting place, and conspiracy theories are flourishing. Not least because they are a lucrative business. The facts have been on the table for ten years: 142 km/h, 1.8 per mille, a wet road, texting at the wheel.

The wreck of the VW Phaeton: people are still wondering how the accident happened. (Bild: APA/Gert Eggenberger)
The wreck of the VW Phaeton: people are still wondering how the accident happened.

But let's do the test and enter "Haider and murder" into Google: We get 143,000 hits within milliseconds. If we do a more open-ended search for "Haider and accident", the figure rises to 191,000. Even ten years later, it seems difficult to accept things that you don't want to accept.

(Bild: APA/GERT EGGENBERGER, google.com, krone.at-Grafik)

Accidental death, murder or assassination?
Or is there more to it than that? Big business? On the one hand, there are those who make money through books, mostly published by the well-known Kopp publishing house. The authors are then called Gerhard Wisnewski or Guido Grandt, the books "Haider - accidental death, murder or assassination" or "Freemason lodge murder Jörg Haider".

(Bild: APA/GERT EGGENBERGER, google.com, krone.at-Grafik)

The Carinthian governor has always been a ratings driver, and this also applies to the YouTube video channel. More or less serious "experts" formulate the weirdest conspiracy theories:

  • The phaeton was brought to the scene in a truck, Haider's body was only placed in the wreckage afterwards.
  • The Israeli secret service had Jörg Haider on its conscience.
  • Alternatively, the American CIA
  • or Freemasons, Bilderbergers or extraterrestrials.

Haider's alcoholization is doubted
Haider's alcoholization is generally doubted. According to witnesses, it is not possible to drink 1.8 per mille in the three hours between leaving a disco in Velden and the accident. There were also different alcohol levels in the blood and stomach. Between 10.30 and 11.15 p.m. on the evening of October 10, there was also a time window with no indication of Haider's whereabouts.

(Bild: Zach - Kiesling Roman / Verlagsgruppe News / picturedesk.com)

Haider's widow is trying to obtain blood samples 
Haider's widow Claudia is currently trying to obtain evidence stored in Graz, including blood samples. With their help, a new private expert opinion should shed light on the alcohol debate.

(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

Mystery surrounding witness and text message
The witness who was the last person to see the governor - as he overtook her - will forever remain in the dark about the night of the accident. Or the content of the text message that Haider wrote at 1 o'clock, 12 minutes and 53 seconds and received at 1 o'clock, 14 minutes and 38 seconds. This content is probably only known to the network operator. Moments later, Jörg Haider was dead.

Klagenfurt's Neue Platz at Jörg Haider's farewell on October 18, 2008: Official Austria attended the funeral service. (Bild: AFP)
Klagenfurt's Neue Platz at Jörg Haider's farewell on October 18, 2008: Official Austria attended the funeral service.

Klagenfurt University professor Klaus Ottomeyer was always a very vocal opponent of Haider. But perhaps the psychologist was right when he spoke of "idealization instead of mourning" on the first anniversary in 2009. One thing is certain: ten years after his death, Jörg Haider is as present as ever.

(Bild: APA)

Haider and Strache: Medal and wreaths
Jörg Haider and Heinz-Christian Strache - not always the best of friends. Ten years after Haider's death, this is changing. On Wednesday, the Vice-Chancellor and FPÖ chairman laid wreaths at the site of the accident in Lambichl as well as at the grave in Bärental in southern Carinthia.

Heinz-Christian Strache and Carinthia's FPÖ leader Gernot Darmann at the scene of the accident (Bild: Rojsek-Wiedergut Uta)
Heinz-Christian Strache and Carinthia's FPÖ leader Gernot Darmann at the scene of the accident

Claudia Haider alternately presented Strache with the "Jörg Haider Medal". On both occasions, it was emphasized how much the respective recipient's services to the idea of freedom were appreciated.

Fritz Kimeswenger, Kronen Zeitung

This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.

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