November pogroms

Demonstrators set an example against Rosenkranz

National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) was prevented from commemorating the November pogroms on Friday ....

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

On Friday, National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) was prevented from laying a wreath at the memorial on Judenplatz to mark the November pogroms. Demonstrators had formed a human chain and shouted: "Those who honor Nazis, their word is worth nothing."

They also sang the Israeli anthem. Rosenkranz tried to talk to them, but to no avail. The police also failed to persuade the demonstrators to withdraw. "Please respect the memory of our ancestors. We don't want to commemorate with you, we don't want you to spit in the face of our ancestors," said one demonstrator. "You insult me," Rosenkranz replied. The wreath was from Parliament and the MPs.

After a few minutes, the President of the National Council left Judenplatz visibly annoyed and without having achieved anything. The protesters had "violently" prevented him from commemorating, said the politician, who had been accompanied by Parliamentary Director Harald Dossi. The protesters from the "Jewish Austrian University Students" disagreed. Artist Gottfried Helnwein was also present.

The "Jewish Austrian Students" formed a human chain around the memorial.

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

Rosenkranz and Dossi wanted to lay a wreath.

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

In the end, they left the square without having achieved anything.

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

Politicians commemorate the pogrom victims
On Friday, Austria's political representatives commemorated the November pogroms against the Jewish community 86 years ago. Several politicians met in the morning, including the Second President of the National Council Peter Haubner (ÖVP), Philip Kucher (SPÖ) and Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) as well as the Jewish Community (IKG). At the same time, Rosenkranz wanted to lay a wreath at the memorial to the Austrian Jewish victims of the Shoah on Judenplatz.

Rosenkranz not invited to official commemoration
The reason for this is that the IKG keeps its distance from the FPÖ and therefore also from Rosenkranz. It is "impossible to commemorate the victims together with such a person", said IKG President Oskar Deutsch. The President of the National Council is a member of the German nationalist fraternity Libertas. In 1878, this fraternity became the first fraternity in the monarchy to exclude Jews with a kind of Aryan clause.

It is impossible to commemorate the victims together with such a person (Rosenkranz).

IKG-Präsident Oskar Deutsch

Deutsch called on Rosenkranz to resign as chairman of the National Fund for the Victims of National Socialism as well as his role in the cemetery fund and the Wiesenthal Prize. He also ruled out any contact with him and other FPÖ functionaries in the future.

What happened in November 1938
This year, the commemorative events will be held one day before the actual anniversary because it falls exactly on the Jewish day of rest, Shabbat. On the night of November 9-10, 1938, synagogues were systematically set on fire, Jewish stores were looted and Jews were abused. In Austria, at least 30 Jews were killed, 7800 arrested and 4000 immediately deported to the Dachau concentration camp.

Riots at Israeli soccer club
The international commemoration was overshadowed by violent riots on the sidelines of an Israeli soccer club match in Amsterdam on Thursday evening. Deutsch strongly condemned the violence and said he wondered "where the police were." Ten people were injured and three Israelis are still missing.