Reactivation

Swastika tattoo caught the eye at public viewing

The next case of re-activation occupied the jury on Tuesday at Salzburg Provincial Court: the accused Salzburg resident (49) had several Nazi symbols tattooed on his skin. And the five-centimeter swastika on his forearm could be seen at a public viewing of the European Football Championship. 

He had the swastika tattooed on his left forearm 18 years ago. And next to it on his wrist was the number "88" - a Nazi code for "Heil Hitler". On 26 May 2024, the 49-year-old attended the public viewing at the Sportzentrum Mitte for the European Championship soccer match between Austria and the Netherlands. There were 1700 fans there, explains the public prosecutor: "Because it was a warm day, the accused was only wearing a T-shirt. Plainclothes police officers spotted him in the stands and approached him." According to the prosecutor, he even had another tattoo: an imperial eagle with a swastika on his chest.

An NS symbol already tattooed over
The defendant with a walking stick and oxygen machine confesses to the charge under the Prohibition Act. "I am sorry. It was a stupid bet back then, when I pricked it 18 years ago," explains the previously blameless local, also talking about his alcohol problem. He had already stabbed himself over the number, he showed the jury.

And all he said about all the Nazi propaganda was: "I'm not interested in that anyway." After the confession, the jury declared him guilty. Sentence: 15 months in prison on probation, legally binding.