A court in Wels has convicted one man and cleared another on charges of neo-Nazi conduct. A 25-year-old man was handed a four-month suspended sentence, while his 19-year-old co-defendant was given a diversion order.
A 16-year-old girl involved in the case was acquitted.
The charges related to an incident in Bad Ischl, where the group allegedly sang a racist version of the song “L’Amour Toujours” by Italian DJ and music producer Gigi D’Agostino, reportedly while performing the Hitler salute and chanting “Sieg Heil.”
This trial is thought to be the first of its kind in Austria. The song had been altered with racist lyrics without the artist’s knowledge and circulated within far-right groups.
In May, a video from the German island of Sylt sparked outrage after partygoers were filmed chanting “Germany for the Germans” and “Get Foreigners Out” to the tune. Similar incidents are believed to have taken place in Austria.
Clear Verdicts from the Jury
The jury’s decision was clear-cut. The 16-year-old girl was found not guilty, while both men were found guilty. In the case of the 19-year-old, the judge opted for a diversion programme at the defence’s request, which includes an educational visit to the Mauthausen concentration camp memorial site. The defendant accepted this outcome, and the prosecution decided against appealing. The 25-year-old man, meanwhile, received an additional suspended sentence for a separate conviction in July and was also ordered to visit Mauthausen. Both men will remain on probation for three years.
“Prototype of Neo-Nazi Activity,” Prosecutor Says
The prosecutor labelled the case “a prototype of neo-Nazi activity,” claiming that on 3 July, following a night of heavy drinking, the defendants “chanted ‘Get Foreigners Out’ to the song and gave the Hitler salute.” The 25-year-old, originally from Argentina, was also accused of bragging that “his great-grandfather killed 150 people.”
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty, though he said his actions were influenced by heavy drinking. He expressed “deep remorse,” while denying giving the Hitler salute. He admitted to playing the altered song by D’Agostino on his phone but rejected the claim about his great-grandfather killing anyone, saying his relative had actually been a doctor.
The 19-year-old, in contrast, took “full responsibility” for his actions, which he called “the most deplorable thing that happened in the Second World War.” His lawyer added that “Nazi ideology does not reflect his beliefs.”
