Austrian People's Party: Anti-Semitism Or Political Strategy?

Antisemitism has been a feature of Austrian political life and culture, with the strongest hold in political parties and the media. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) has been accused of adopting far-right policy and dogma, and of outflanking the historically Nazi and antisemitic Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) on the right. The Freedom Party has gained support with an anti-immigration message and has long fought accusations of tolerating antisemitism within its ranks. In 2015, it expelled an MP over antisemitic comments on Facebook. While antisemitism in contemporary Austria focuses more on diffused and traditional stereotypes than on acts of physical aggression, it is a main ideological component of most extreme right-wing groups and their publications in the country.

The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) minister Karoline Edtstadler has been accused of adopting far-right policies

In 2024, Edtstadler delivered a speech at the AJC Global Forum, where she emphasised Austria's commitment to combating antisemitism and strengthening relations with Israel. She highlighted the country's initiatives to fight antisemitism and its longstanding partnership with the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in this regard. However, she has also been accused of adopting far-right policies, particularly in her attacks on "left-wing antisemitism". Edtstadler has spoken about an antisemitic "pendulum", which swings from the political right to the left. This theory has been contradicted by statistics that count support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement as antisemitic.

Edtstadler has also been criticised for her efforts to outflank the historically Nazi and antisemitic Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) on the right, specifically regarding anti-terror surveillance measures directed mainly against Muslims. In addition, theories and allegations of left-wing antisemitism are prevalent among left-liberals, reinforcing a far-right anti-immigrant agenda. For example, there has been censorship of pro-Palestinian speech in the Austrian cultural sphere and the treatment of dissenting Jews has been described as shameful.

On the other hand, Edtstadler has taken steps to combat antisemitism in Austria. She has presented a national strategy to prevent and combat all forms of antisemitism, which includes improving the protection of synagogues, enhancing education about Judaism, and stricter prosecution of hate crimes against Jews. This strategy is based on six pillars: education, security, law enforcement, integration, documentation, and civil society. Edtstadler has also condemned social media platforms, such as TikTok, for allowing antisemitic messages to be spread and has supported initiatives to require these platforms to remove antisemitic material.

Overall, while Edtstadler has taken some measures to combat antisemitism, her adoption of far-right policies and her attacks on left-wing antisemitism have sparked controversy and criticism.

The Freedom Party (FPO) has been labelled as far-right and normalised

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has been labelled as far-right by various sources. The party's ideology has been described as right-wing populist, national-conservative, eurosceptic, and anti-immigration. Founded in 1956, the FPO initially presented itself as a centrist party. However, under the leadership of Jörg Haider from 1986 onwards, the party underwent an ideological shift towards right-wing populism. This shift resulted in increased electoral support but also led to the party being viewed as far-right.

The FPO's association with antisemitism and its Nazi origins have contributed to its far-right label. In 2015, MP Susanne Winter expressed support for an antisemitic comment on Facebook, leading to her expulsion from the party. Additionally, the party's founder, Anton Reinthaller, was a former Nazi functionary and SS officer. While the FPO has sought to distance itself from its Nazi past, it has been accused of regularly using antisemitic fascist tropes to stir its base. For example, at a funeral for a long-serving FPO politician, mourners sang an SS anthem in the presence of several party leaders.

The FPO's rhetoric and policies have further contributed to its far-right perception. The party has been critical of the European Union, advocated for stricter immigration policies, and expressed support for Russia. It has also been accused of right-wing extremism and possessing a neo-Nazi ideology by the Austrian Mauthausen Committee. The FPO's leader, Herbert Kickl, has referred to himself as the "people's chancellor," a term previously used by Adolf Hitler.

The normalisation of the FPO has been a concern for many. The party's increasing electoral success and potential to lead the country's government have raised alarms. In the 2024 election, the FPO received 29.1% of the vote, making it the projected winner. This victory marked a shift towards far-right support in Austria and contributed to the normalisation of the party. However, the FPO's controversial stances and associations with antisemitism and Nazi ideology have made it challenging for the party to form coalitions with other groups.

The Austrian Christian Social Party (CS) was founded by Karl Lueger, who was antisemitic

The Austrian Christian Social Party (CS) was founded and led by Karl Lueger, a lawyer and politician who served as Mayor of Vienna from 1897 until his death in 1910. Lueger was known for his antisemitic rhetoric and policies, which were informed by religious, economic, and racial antisemitism.

Lueger's early political life was associated with the German National Party, which was antisemitic. He later became a regular attendee at the influential circles of clerical social conservative politicians, including Karl von Vogelsang and Prince Aloys Franz de Paula Maria of Liechtenstein. In 1888, he brought together the German National and Christian Social factions at Vienna's City Hall, forming a group that became known as the United Christians. During this time, Lueger also served on the City Council, where he campaigned against corruption and gained popularity as a populist.

Lueger's antisemitism was opportunistic and served his political purposes. He supported politicians who perpetuated the myth of blood libel and frequently railed against alleged Jewish influence in academia and the press. He also sponsored the Democrats' electoral demand for "equality of all faiths" in 1884. However, in 1887, he made a violently antisemitic speech in support of a bill against Jewish immigration from Russia and Romania. Lueger's largest following was among artisans and the lower-middle class, who assumed that Jewish competition was the cause of their precarious situation.

As the leader of the Christian Social Party, Lueger represented a verbally radical form of antisemitism. He established an anti-liberal middle-class block with clerical, antisemitic, and anti-socialist values, which attracted the disoriented petty bourgeoisie and middle class. Lueger developed a xenophobic and antisemitic cultural code that became the set of values that gave his supporters a sense of identity. He exploited the economic antisemitism prevalent at the time, which blamed Jewish industrialists and bankers for social problems.

Lueger's administration in Vienna pursued discriminatory practices against Jews, mainly by not employing them in city services and limiting their numbers in high schools and universities. However, he also employed some Jews in his administration, such as his friend and political advisor Ignaz Mandl, and did favours for poor Jews.

Lueger's antisemitism had a profound influence on a young Adolf Hitler, who lived in Vienna from 1907 to 1913. Hitler praised Lueger's charisma and popular appeal in "Mein Kampf" and saw him as an inspiration for his own views on Jews. Lueger's legacy continues to be controversial, with some arguing that his populist and antisemitic politics served as a model for Hitler's Nazism.

Anti-Semitic violence in universities in the 1930s

In the 1930s, anti-Semitic violence in universities was prevalent in both the United States and Europe. In the US, quotas were imposed, restricting Jewish students from attending institutions of higher learning, despite their qualifications. Universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton limited the enrollment of Jews to discourage the rise of anti-Semitism on campus.

In Europe, anti-Semitism was also on the rise, with neo-Nazis allowed to speak openly over the radio, inspiring and justifying physical assaults against Jewish citizens. German universities, in particular, became hotbeds of anti-Semitic sentiment, with students and faculty advocating modern racial anti-Semitism. Paramilitary student groups often interrupted lectures, provoked skirmishes, and physically intimidated Jewish students, with the tacit support of university administrations and encouragement from the Nazi Party.

The situation became so dire that it evoked comparisons to the present day by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in 2024 condemned a rise in pro-Palestinian protests at US colleges and universities, calling them "reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s."

The Austrian government's response to anti-Semitism in the 1930s

In the early 1930s, when anti-Semitism re-emerged more violently than before, three new Jewish defensive organisations were founded in Austria: the Jewish Armed Sporting and Defense Association Haganah, the Jewish Protection League, and the Bund Juedischer Frontsoldaten ("League of Jewish Front Soldiers"). The latter, founded in 1932, was the largest, with around 8,000 members in February 1934 and was part of the Vaterlaendische Front ("Fatherland Front").

While Nazi Germany implemented harsh anti-Jewish measures, including banning Jews from the civil service and sponsoring boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses, Austrian Jews were legally guaranteed equal rights. The Austrian chancellors never supported Jew-baiting. However, the Austrian government faced pressure from domestic anti-Semites and economic pressure from Nazi Germany after 1936. As a result, they adopted a middle position, tolerating political and economic anti-Semitism among mid- and low-level officials without actively promoting it at the highest levels.

In March 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, and thousands of Austrians and Austrian Jews who opposed Nazi rule were sent to concentration camps. This annexation was marked by violent outbursts of anti-Semitism, with Jewish Austrians being publicly humiliated, attacked, robbed, and even murdered.

Overall, the Austrian government's response to anti-Semitism in the 1930s was influenced by the complex political and social landscape of the time. While they officially guaranteed equal rights to Austrian Jews, they also made concessions to anti-Semitic sentiments due to external and internal pressures. The situation escalated with the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, which resulted in severe persecution and violence against the Jewish community.

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