Club Tirol organized a prominent panel discussion on the topic of anti-Semitism in Austria in the Military History Museum
Vienna (OTS) – Anyone who walks through the vestibule of the Military History Museum (HGM) – the “Feldherrenhalle” – will immediately see the 56 statues of the “most famous warlords and generals in Austria, worthy of constant emulation” placed here. In addition to the Babenberg market count Leopold I, Emperor Maximilian, Count Starhemberg, Prince Eugen and Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg, the only general of non-noble descent, the Tyrolean Andreas Hofer, also stands here. In the large “Hall of Fame” one floor above – the architectural center of the HGM with an impressive dome – the ceiling frescoes show victorious and glorious battle scenes from Austria’s military history.
It is precisely here in the museum that the Club Tirol recently invited people to a panel discussion about a not at all glorious, although sometimes very “belligerent” and unfortunately extremely current topic: anti-Semitism, especially in Austria. A professionally experienced, prominent quartet sat on the speech stage: journalist, author, presenter and former director of the Jewish Museum Danielle Spera, Johanna Edelmanfrom the reporting office of the Israelite Community, disinfo expert Dietmar Pichler and the organizer of the evening, Club Tirol board member Brigadier Stefan Kirchebner.
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“Who would have thought recently that we would have to discuss anti-Semitism again,” took Club Tirol President Julian Hadschieff He picked up the thread right from his greeting. The one who stepped in to welcome the HGM director who was unable to attend Vice Director Stephanie Pracherstorfer-Prigl noted that “it is a very important evening for our museum, which is in transition.”
Moderator and questioner Johanna Gruber Right at the beginning, discussant Danielle Spera referred to the centuries-old history of anti-Semitism in Austria. Jews were repeatedly persecuted, sometimes literally “exterminated”. Like the Viennese pogrom in 1421, in which the entire community was expelled or murdered and the synagogue on today’s Judenplatz was destroyed. According to Spera, the fact that during the Shoah there was far more violent action against Jews in this country than in the “Nazi core empire” of Germany may have had its roots in traditional “Catholic anti-Semitism”. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the church changed a lot here. Most recently, anti-Semitism existed practically “without Jews,” because “there are only 15,000 of us left in the whole of Austria.”
And now? “That has suddenly changed since October 7, 2023,” says Johannan Edelman. On the same day of Hamas’s terrorist atrocities in Israel, there was a kind of victory celebration at Vienna’s Stephansplatz. According to Edelmann, the number of reports received about anti-Semitic incidents has increased dramatically since then, a “real flood”. Not only bad words are spoken, there are numerous actions such as the arson attack on the Jewish cemetery in Vienna, or the daubing of house walls with anti-slogans on entire streets. A lot has changed in Jewish life since then. Previously, there had always been a brief “anti-Semitic flare-up” after special events in the Middle East conflict, but now it is more of a sea of flames. Or, as Danielle Spera describes it: “It’s scary again for the Jewish community.”
“In the Federal Army, the situation is generally always monitored and assessments are made,” said Brigadier Kirchebner, “but the fact that we now have to guard Israeli, Jewish facilities with soldiers in Vienna was not on our radar.”
Many actors
For media skills trainer Pichler, the current anti-Semitism in Austria (and elsewhere) has many faces, its causes have changed: “We are in an information world war in the digital space, international campaigns, for example controlled from Iran, also have an influence on Austria. “For example, on social media you quickly come across reels in which the Holocaust is not only trivialized, but on the contrary, great admiration is expressed for the genocidal action of the “painter Schicklgruber”.
In general, the many conspiracy theories floating around the internet (“there were no Jews in the New York World Trade Center during the 9/11 attack”) have long had the effect of anti-Semitism spreading within new population groups. There is a veritable mix of different actors behind it. From those who are known to be on the far right to well into the left spectrum. Suddenly anti-Western, anti-capitalist or anti-colonial groups include attacks against Israel and against Jews in their agenda. Which, as Danielle Spera observed during her recent visit to Harvard University in the USA, leads to more than strange slogans like “Jews back to Poland”.
The actors in the anti-Semitic protests are not only hostile to Israel, but also to the Jews, added Edelman. According to their own statements, they see their fight as a global conflict of the “Global South” against the “white, colonialist West” – oppressed against oppressors – characterized by postcolonial ideological constructs – in which Israel and the Jews are only the most exposed, but not the only one goal are.
In Vienna, the discussants see major problems, especially in those schools in which the proportion of students whose native language is not German is 80 percent or more. Many of the young people make very worrying comments about this – probably due to great ignorance. “Teachers don’t dare to educate people here because they fear attacks,” says Pichler. Johannan Edelman speaks of a dramatic increase in anti-Semitic incidents in all schools (not just in the so-called “problem schools”), in which even 5-year-old children are involved. All of this gives the impression that there will soon no longer be any Jewish students in Austrian schools. The school staff are helpless and are literally being abandoned, as “urgent measures are required.”
What to do about it?
“And how do you as an individual manage to fight against all these developments, which are not new,” was one of the concerned questions from the audience. One recommendation from the group was to start with small things: for example, if someone from your circle of friends suddenly makes anti-Semitic statements, “argue against it, clarify them, pass on reliable knowledge.” The latter can also be done well purchase in the exhibitions at the HGM. A keyword here is the large participation of Jewish citizens in the First World War “for the preservation of Austria.”
Participants in the discussion included: Club Tirol Vice President Renate J. Danler (Renate Danler Consulting), CLUB TIROL board members Herbert Rieser (café+co Austria), Martina Scheiber (HR-SCOPE) and Charlotte Sengthaler (Spa Ceylon Austria). ). Carmen Baumgartner-Pötz (Tiroler Tageszeitung), Roman Benedetto (EFS Unternehmensberatung), Isabella Burtscher (ib-moderation), Stephan Briem (RA Dr. Stephan Briem), Burkhard Doblander (quant.consultants), Christoph Falkner (Swap Architekten ZT), Michael Gärtner (Public Relations Consultant), Isabella Gruber (BMI), Martino Hammerle-Bortolotti (baritone singer, arranger, music researcher), Philipp Istenich (Ithuba Capital), Jacqueline Reich (City of Vienna Marketing), Katharina Reich (Interacting Lectures), Veronika Rief (Rief Financial Communications), Marius Rohracher (GSV – The Platform for Mobility), Désirée Sandanasamy (ZARA civil courage and anti-racism work), Dominik Schrott (NR aD), Maria Schwarz (Schwarz F&B GmbH), Roswitha Seekirchner (BINDER GRÖSSWANG Rechtsanwälte) , Herbert Strobl (Executive Coaching Plus), Andreas Steiner (nextido eU), Paul Unterhuber (Demox Research), Anna Wetscher (LeitnerLeitner tax consultancy).
About Club Tirol:
Around 40,000 Tyroleans live in Vienna and the surrounding area. For more than fifteen years now, CLUB TIROL has been offering them a politically independent business network. Every year, the CLUB TIROL organizes numerous events on topics from business, politics and culture for its now over 600 members. The current board of CLUB TIROL is President Julian Hadschieff, Humanocare owner, Vice President Management Consultant Renate Danler – Renate Danler Consulting, Peter Kunz – Kunz Wallentin RAE GmbH, Barbara Kolm – President of the Hayek Institute and Director of the Austria Economics Center, Communications Consultant Charlotte Sengthaler, Stefan Kirchebner – military advisor in the Ministry of Defense, personnel consultant Martina Scheiber HR-SCOPE, key account manager at café+co and organizer of the economic migration Herbert Rieser.
Questions & Contact:
Tirol Club
Andrea Zöchling
Cluborganisation
0664/73504511
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www.clubtirol.net