IKG President Deutsch: “We want nothing to do with FPÖ politicians”

Die Presse, November 8, 2024

German-Original: https://www.diepresse.com/19046208/ikg-praesident-deutsch-wir-wollen-mit-politikern-der-fpoe-nichts-zu-tun-haben

The Jewish Community commemorated the victims of the November pogroms with representatives of top politics; National Council President Rosenkranz was not invited. “What Mr. Rosenkranz does in front of the cameras is one thing, and what he then does in the cellar is another,” says IKG President Deutsch.

Today, Friday, the Jewish Community (IKG), together with representatives of the government and the National Council, commemorated the victims of the November progroms at the Shoah Wall of Names in Ostarrichipark. FPÖ politicians were not invited, the Freedom Party President of the National Council, Walter Rosenkranz, wanted to lay a wreath at the memorial on Judenplatz. However, he was prevented from doing so by Jewish demonstrators.

The Kultusrat had unanimously decided on a “cordon sanitaire” against the FPÖ and explicitly against Walter Rosenkranz, explained IKG President Oskar Deutsch to “Ö1” before the memorial event. This is nothing new: “We want nothing to do with FPÖ politicians.”

Deutsch: “Then I can no longer be there in future”

Rosenkranz is a member of a German nationalist fraternity, emphasized Deutsch. He commented on the separate commemoration: “We are remembering the victims. What Mr. Rosenkranz does in front of the cameras is one thing, and what he then does in the cellar is a second thing.”

The office of President of the National Council is also linked to the management of the National Fund and the Cemetery Fund as well as the awarding of the Simon Wiesentals Prize. Deutsch explained that he would no longer be able to be there in future if Rosenkranz was in charge. (kron)