Holocaust songbook linked to Austrian coalition party politician
AUSTRIA’S government has been rocked after a senior politician from the nationalist Freedom Party (FPÖ) was linked to a songbook containing lyrics that glorified the Holocaust.
It emerged this week that the songbook, circulated privately by one of Austria’s secretive fraternities whose members include a prominent FPÖ politician, included the lyric: “Step on the gas, you old Teutons, so we can make it to seven million”.
Sebastian Kurz, Austria’s chancellor who, at 31, is the world’s youngest leader, formed a coalition of his People’s Party (ÖVP) and the FPÖ last year.
The latest row centres on Udo Landbauer, the FPÖ’S lead candidate in this weekend’s regional elections. Mr Landbauer is also deputy head of the fraternity responsible for the songbook.
The Germania fraternity is one of the traditional and secretive student fraternities which still dominate certain sectors of Austrian society. They have long been linked with the political farright, and other lyrics in the songbook which emerged this week include “Heil Hitler” and “To die for Germany is the greatest honour”.
Details of the songbook were uncovered by Falter, an Austrian magazine.
Mr Landbauer has denied any knowledge of the songbook and said he is freezing his fraternity membership.
“When this book was printed I was 11 years old,” he said in a statement. “Neither I nor the FPÖ has anything to do with anti-semitism, xenophobia or totalitarianism.”
Mr Landbauer’s opponents countered that he joined Germania when aged 14, only three years after it was printed. Mr Kurz condemned the songbook as “racist, anti-semitic and absolutely sickening” in a tweet.
Heinz-christian Strache, the FPÖ leader, accused Falter of attempting to damage Mr Landbauer’s election campaign. “The fraternities have nothing to do with the FPÖ,” he said.
The Jewish Community of Vienna (IKG), Austria’s pre-eminent Jewish organisation, said this week it would not take part in the parliament’s annual Holocaust memorial event in protest at the FPÖ’S involvement in the coalition government.