Controversy over Waldheim’s Past Reaches Fever Pitch in Austria

The heated controversy over Kurt Waldheim’s alleged Nazi past reached a new pitch here Tuesday when former Chancellor Bruno Kreisky denounced as “monstrous meanness” charges brought against Waldheim by the World Jewish Congress and wider circles in the United States. WJC officials, meanwhile, vowed to pursue their investigation of Waldheim even after he becomes President of Austria, assuming he is elected.

Kreisky, who is Jewish and a Socialist, came to the defense of Waldheim, a Catholic conservative in an interview published in Die Presse. Waldheim, the Presidential candidate of the conservative Peoples Party who served two terms as Secretary General of the United Nations, has been accused of concealing for 40 years alleged membership in the Nazi SA (Brown Shirts) and Nazi student organization before World War II. He is also accused of possible complicity in the deportation of Greek Jews while a lieutenant in the Wehrmacht during the German occupation of Greece.

Kreisky warned of a backlash in Austria against Jews abroad who are seen as trying to dictate who will be Austria’s next President. In that connection, he referred to an interview in the Austrian magazine Profil with Israel Singer, secretary general of the WJC, and Elan Steinberg, its executive director.

Singer was quoted as saying that if Waldheim is elected, Austria would have to bear the consequences. “I can tell you that the next six years with Waldheim (as President) will not be easy years,” Singer said.

Profil is the magazine which first published documents indicating that Waldheim joined the SA and a Nazi student group shortly after the Anschluss in 1938. Waldheim had denied these charges. But he did serve during the war on the staff of Gen. Alexander Loehr who was hanged in 1947 for war crimes. U.S. Army documents released last week listed Waldheim as a “suspected” war criminal at the time.

INQUIRIES TO CONTINUE

Steinberg told Profil that the WJC would not end its inquiries if Waldheim is elected. “We will continue to research, together with specialists in the U.S., in Germany, in Yugoslavia, in the Soviet Union and in Austria,” he said, adding, “Until now this has been a matter of Mr. Waldheim. Then it will be an Austrian problem.”

Ivan Hacker, president of the Austrian Jewish community, warned Tuesday that the election of Waldheim would bestow legitimacy on Brown Shirts and anti-Semites. In an apparent response to Kreisky, he said the community condemned language that disqualifies documented evidence as defamation, criticizes the researchers and makes Jews scapegoats. He mentioned “certain Socialist politicians” who play down any kind of documents.

Michael Graff, a spokesman for the Peoples Party, warned Monday against “emotions none of us want to rise. ” So far, the Freedom Party, a coalition partner in the Socialist-led government with a strong right wing has refrained from comment on the Waldheim affair. But one of its members broke ranks Tuesday to warn of an anti-Jewish backlash.

Mario Ferrari-Brunnenfeld, Secretary of State in the Health Ministry, said the Jewish community should have remained silent at least until a link between Waldheim and the deportation of Greek Jews is proven. If there should be any anti-Semitic feelings in Austria, it would be the fault of the WJC, which has interfered in Austria’s internal politics, he said.

Meanwhile, a straw poll taken by the Peoples Party showed Waldheim ahead of his Socialist rival, Kurt Steyrer, by a 43-32 percent margin.