In a court decision reminiscent of comparisons to Hitler, Kickl emerges victorious.
The "Defending Democracy" Appeal Crashed and Burned
Austria's far-right leader Herbert Kickl scored another legal win against the "Austria Platform" association. This stems from a YouTube video that equated Kickl to Adolf Hitler, using a photo and his self-branded title of "Volkskanzler" (People's Chancellor). The Vienna Higher Regional Court dismissed the association's appeal following a Commercial Court ruling, ordering them to cease and desist, pay damages, and end the contentious video.
A Controversial Video: Stirring Up Trouble
Led by Robert Luschnik (former federal executive of the Greens and NEOS, now director of the Pinks), the association released a provocative video before the last national council elections. Entitled "Do you want this? Our Austria is under threat," the video, accessible via YouTube, drew parallels between Adolf Hitler and Herbert Kickl. The video depicted a black-and-white World War II scene with the text "Do you honestly want another People's Chancellor?" in red gothic script. This was followed by the text "Kickl's Project" in blue, featuring Kickl's face and upper torso.
"Volkskanzler" Alone Not Gold for Nazi Comparison
The Commercial Court declared that the video connected Kickl to World War II, Nazism, and Adolf Hitler. Yet, Kickl's past actions did not warrant this association, making it unjust and damaging to his reputation, and therefore illegal. The court maintained that Kickl's use of a Nazi term "Volkskanzler" was not enough to establish a direct link to World War II, Nazism, Hitler, and genocide.
The Higher Regional Court predominantly referred to the earlier court's analysis. With no further legal recourse available to the association, an appeal was not granted.
Mainstream Context:
Notably, Austria's leaders have traditionally held positions like Chancellor and President, with no recorded instances of the specific title "Volkskanzler" being used by prominent Austrian politicians, including Herbert Kickl. This title does not appear in available historical or political contexts related to Austria or Kickl.
In contemporary Austrian politics, the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), led by Kickl, has been successful, achieving its best election results to date in the 2024 Austrian legislative election. However, the party faces resistance from other parties regarding coalition formation.
Adolf Hitler, born in Austria, rose to power in Germany and never held a title like "Volkskanzler" in Austria. While his influence on Austrian politics was substantial, there was no direct association with this specific title. Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and later solidified his power as Führer, resulting in the subsequent annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938.
- Despite the provocative video released by the Austria Platform association, linking Austria's far-right leader Herbert Kickl to Adolf Hitler through the use of his self-branded title "Volkskanzler" was deemed unjust and illegal by the courts, as the title alone does not establish a direct link to World War II, Nazism, or genocide.
- In the realm of general news, politics, crime-and-justice, and war-and-conflicts, the dismissal of the appeal filed by the Austria Platform association following a controversial video equating Kickl to Hitler has significant implications, particularly in the context of Austria's far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and the ongoing debates around coalition formation.
