The Union of Jewish Communities of Austria awarded its medal for outstanding services in the fight against neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism today to Prof. Franz Gebhardt, director of the Teachers Seminary in Graz.
The citation noted that when neo-Nazis in Graz were showing films from Nazi Germany, he protested openly on several occasions to the authorities for allowing the showings. He also banned the theaters showing the films to his students, placing the theaters out of bounds to the students.
He was denounced by the neo-Nazis and by right-wing members of Parliament who said he was interfering in affairs which did not concern him. The denunciations failed to halt his protests.
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