From September 16th to 18th this year, the “Burschentag” is to take place in Wels – a meeting of the Österreichischer Pupils’ Ring (ÖPR), to which German-national secondary school student associations belong. The city of Wels supports the event with a subsidy of 5000 euros, in the city senate the FPÖ and ÖVP voted for the subsidy. According to the ÖPR magazine “Junges Leben”, mayor Andreas Rabl (FP) should give a reception in the Wels town hall.
Sharp criticism came yesterday from the Mauthausen Committee Austria, along with the Greens in Upper Austria and the SPÖ in Upper Austria. The connections that are part of the ÖPR have attracted attention in the past for right-wing extremist and anti-Semitic statements. “The facts about the Pennälerring must alarm all democratic forces. The Burschentag is a mockery of the Nazi victims,” said Chairman Willi Mernyi.
In a broadcast, the Wels initiative against fascism gives examples of the activities of the connections: “Germania Ried” invited the singer-songwriter Fylgien, whose works the Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies as “right-wing extremist hate music”, to a concert. The “Donauhort Aschach” named the “Treuelied” of the SS as a connecting song.
Mayor Rabl points out that the boys’ days in Steyr in 2021 and in Gmunden in 2019 ended without incident. He also rejects prejudice “without there being a factual substrate”. It is an economic promotion, hundreds of overnight guests are expected. (vaba)
Source: Nachrichten
