Proceedings dropped

Outstretched hand while celebrating had no consequences

The outstretched hand at a wedding in Feldkirchen an der Donau was the outcome of the investigation - which has now been closed

(Bild: Privat)

It was a video that caused a stir two days before the National Council elections in September last year. A high-ranking member of the Wels municipal council was suspected of giving the Hitler salute during a wedding. Now the matter has been settled from a legal point of view.

A video sent anonymously from a wedding celebration at the end of June in Feldkirchen an der Donau in Upper Austria prompted the police and judiciary to take action. A high-ranking lawyer from the Wels magistrate's office was accused of raising his right hand in a Hitler salute. He was also alleged to have shouted the "foreigners out" rendition of the Gigi D'Agostino hit "L'Amour toujours" and allegedly shouted "Sieg Hallelujah" instead of "Sing Hallelujah".

Witness statements were decisive
However, the Linz public prosecutor's office has now dropped the investigation against the lawyer, as none of the people present were able to confirm the accusations of reoffending. And the suspected officer had also repeatedly said that it had been "a dance move". The fact that he had raised his hand was also a result of his alcoholization.

"Attempt to influence the election"
Immediately after the video became public, Wels Mayor Andreas Rabl (FPÖ) suspected that this was an attempt to influence the upcoming National Council elections - the video was also leaked to the "Krone" newspaper on September 27, 2024, two days before the ballot.

The city office had already known about the allegations beforehand, closed the proceedings and waited to see whether anything would come of it under criminal law. With the decision of the Linz public prosecutor's office, this has now probably come to an end.