"Nazi background"

Jewish community calls for Rosenkranz’s resignation

Walter Rosenkranz still has no doubts about the innocence of his former office manager.(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

The President of the Jewish Community, Oskar Deutsch, is calling for the resignation of FPÖ National Council President Walter Rosenkranz. The background to this is the affair surrounding his former office manager Rene Schimanek. 

Schimanek is under investigation for violations of the Prohibition and Weapons Act. Rosenkranz has always defended Schimanek. On Friday it became known that Schimanek - after further accusations - had to leave after all.

Austria cannot afford a National Council President with a Nazi background.

Oskar Deutsch, Präsident der Israelitische Kultusgemeinde

Nazi devotional objects, weapons and ammunition found in Schimanek's possession
Alleged emails from Schimanek published by the Greens are said to prove, among other things, that he maintained contacts with the far-right German "Saxon Separatists". At Schimanek's former main residence in Langenlois, the police found Nazi devotional objects, weapons and ammunition. The property was also suspected to have served as a retreat for the German group.

The president of the IKG finds it incomprehensible why Rosenkranz defended his colleague, even after his resignation: "This cannot be the end of it! Austria cannot afford a National Council President with a Nazi background. Mr. Rosenkranz should resign immediately!" were Deutsch's harsh words.

Oskar Deutsch(Bild: APA/FLORIAN WIESER)

Rosenkranz was neither suitable to chair the National Fund for Victims of National Socialism nor to preside over the National Council. The IKG President also considers an amendment to the law to regulate the election of the Chairman of the National Fund to be sensible regardless of Rosenkranz's resignation.

Deutsch welcomes three-party coalition
He has been a loud and vehement critic of the FPÖ in recent weeks and months. Deutsch was delighted about the formation of a coalition without FPÖ participation: "We wish Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and the entire government team every success!"