Mourners denounced

SS anthem at funeral with FPÖ leaders

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

A video published by "Der Standard" showing prominent members of the FPÖ attending a funeral at which the song "Wenn alle untreu werden" was sung has caused outrage - according to the report, in the version that was used as the "Treuelied" by the Schutzstaffel SS.

The SPÖ, Greens and NEOS sharply criticized the FPÖ, Jewish students filed a complaint. The FPÖ found it disrespectful that a funeral was being politically abused.

Video apparently from Friday
According to the report, this all happened at the funeral of the former FPÖ district councillor and "old man" of the German nationalist fraternity Olympia, Walter Sucher, on Friday in Vienna. He had caused a stir at an FPÖ party conference in 2006 when he greeted the audience "with a hearty Heil".

The then 72-year-old defended this afterwards and said that people should not refrain from singing the song "Wenn alle untreu werden". At his funeral, this song, which originated in the early 19th century, was performed in a version attributed to the SS. It sings of the "Holy German Reich".

High-profile guest list
According to a video leaked to Der Standard, guests at the funeral included FPÖ National Council members Harald Stefan and Martin Graf as well as Club Director Norbert Nemeth, all of whom are also running for the FPÖ in tomorrow's National Council elections, and former club leader Johann Gudenus. It is not known whether they sang along with the party, which according to right-wing extremism researcher Andreas Peham, interviewed by Der Standard, can be prosecuted under the Prohibition Act.

Parties demand a "clear edge" - and votes
In any case, the Greens saw the report as further proof that the FPÖ is right-wing extremist. Justice Minister Alma Zadić called on the ÖVP and SPÖ to "finally show a clear edge" on the day before the national elections. SPÖ Federal Managing Director Klaus Seltenheim also saw the video as "exposing the true attitude" of the FPÖ and appealed to vote for the SPÖ as "THE firewall against right-wing extremists".

NEOS Secretary General Douglas Hoyos in turn asked ÖVP Chancellor Karl Nehammer on X whether the "constructive forces" in the FPÖ mentioned in the video were those with whom he considered a coalition to be possible.

Charges against the persons involved
The Jewish Austrian University Students (JöH) have reported the FPÖ politicians mentioned and other persons to the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of incitement to hatred.

Meanwhile, the FPÖ expressed outrage at the video recordings of the farewell when asked by APA. "To now want to politically abuse the funeral of a private person, on whose planning and organization the FPÖ had no influence whatsoever, is disrespectful and shabby."