In 1991, Haider was forced to resign as Governor of the Carinthia region
when he praised the Nazis destruction of the trade unions; "An orderly
employment policy was carried out in the Third Reich, which the government
in Vienna cannot manage."
In 1995, he spoke to veterans of Hitler's Waffen SS death squad; "There
are still decent people of good character who also stick to their
convictions, despite the greatest opposition and have remained true to
their convictions today."
He has fostered racism and anti-foreigner sentiment; "I believe that the
multicultural society is a fiction that cannot work."
His background is one of privilege and right-wing politics. His parents
were both members of the Nazi party and at 16 he joined the Austrian
Freedom Party.
In 1986 he inherited a large estate in Carinthia from an uncle, bought for
next to nothing when its Jewish owner fled the country.
At various times he has been a playboy, a pan-German nationalist, an
Austrian nationalist and a free-market capitalist. Throughout he has
remained a dangerous right-winger who socialists must oppose.
YOUTH AGAINST Racism in Europe (YRE) which is organised in 12 countries,
including Austria, is launching a series of protests across the continent
against Haider's Freedom Party entering Austria's government.
In Austria we are initiating protests including a one-day school student
strike on 18 February and calling on trade unions to take action against
the new government.
YRE in Britain is calling for a series of meetings and activities around
this issue. Model material and information is available from the YRE at
[email protected] 020 8533 4533 or PO Box 858, London E9 5HU.
Austrian Workers History of Anti-Fascism
Austrian Socialists Analyse Haider
Youth Against Racism in Europe Web Site