Acquittal in the Krems process: Nazi symbols and their dark past

Acquittal in the Krems process: Nazi symbols and their dark past

At the Krems Regional Court, a sensational process recently took place, which moved the minds not only in the region, but also far beyond the city limits. A 54-year-old German had to answer for the violation of the Austrian Prohibition law 1947 . This law, which was originally enacted on May 8, 1945 and was revised several times, prohibits the NSDAP and its daughter organizations and prevents the spread of National Socialist ideologies.

The defendant was accused of accumulating writings and devotionals in his home, which glorified National Socialism. He is said to have acted with historical artifacts from the Nazi era. Images with Nazi background, which he divided through social media, was also used against him. The prosecutor pointed out that the punishment is doubled when the propaganda is spread with the intent. It became clear that the spread of National Socialist ideas in Austria was particularly strictly punished when it formulated the allegations.

acquittal and legal gray zones

Despite the serious charges, the jury decided to declare the accused to be guilty. However, this judgment is not final. The defender brought up that the legal differences between Germany and Austria were considerable. While the accused actions in Germany were largely punitive, the Austrian prohibition law is a lot rigid. The defense argued that the defendant had not sufficiently informed himself about Austrian legislation and even offered that he had previously attached a right -wing extremist attitude in the GDR, but had now switched off.

The fact that the accused, who has lived in Austria since 2008, has fled from the right -wing extremist scene due to threats. This shows how dangerous and splitting the ideology of National Socialism can still be after decades.

consequences of the prohibition law

The Austrian legislative has set clear limits with the Prohibition law 1947 . This ban is not only used against the NSDAP and its relatives, but also against neo-Nazism and Holocaust denial. In the past few decades, various judgments have taken place on the basis of this law, which classifies re -activation in National Socialism as a crime. At a time when the memory of the victims of National Socialism is of enormous importance, dealing with the remains of this ideology is still of great relevance.

The case of the 54-year-old German is another example of how complex and complex the examination of the National Socialist past and its consequences in our society is. The discussions that arise from this process are likely to hall.