European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Jörg Haider dies in car crash

by jandsm
Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 06:30:51 AM EST

Austria's right wing extremist Jörg Haider died in a car crash tonight [Friday evening]. Haider, who poisoned the waters of German speaking politics for more than two decades, crashed his car himself.

Here is the BBC report:

Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider has been killed in a road accident, police say. Mr Haider suffered severe head and chest injuries after his car came off the road in Carinthia, his political base. Police investigating the crash said he had been driving alone. The 58-year-old was leader of the Alliance for Austria's Future, and was known for his anti-immigration and anti-EU policies. (...)
"For us this is the end of the world," the deputy leader of Mr Haider's Alliance for Austria's Future, Stefan Petzner, told Austrian news agency, APA.

Haider made right wing extremism successful and was a defining figure of Austria's second republic. It will be interesting to see whether others, like HC Strache of the FPÖ will be able to fill the gap he leaves behind.

Promoted by DoDo

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Jörg Haider dies in car crash | 23 comments (23 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 5)

It will be interesting to see whether others, like HC Strache of the FPÖ will be able to fill the gap he leaves behind.

Given that Strache achieved more votes in the elections last month, the question is more if he can 'fill the gap' in Carinthia.

Actually, what I fear is that the Austrian far-right now has its sole Führer to unite behind.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 06:35:00 AM EST

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 2)

That possibility of a merger of the two far right parties stuck out in my mind to. This is the current distribution of seats in the Austrian parliament.

So now you have three, roughly equal, political blocks. One, hard right in the BZO and FPO. Another centre-right in the People's Party. And finally, the Left bloc formed by the SPD and Greens. It's a matter of whether the People's Party goes into a grand coalition with the SPD, or turns to the far right.

And given the current economic crisis, this is the very worst possible time for a far-right party to get a foothold on power in Europe.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:06:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 1)

I note the three block situation is not new, it was already there in 1999. (Also, the Austrian Greens aren't as close to the SPÖ as their German sister parties -- a federal Greens-ÖVP would be much more likely than a Greens-CDU in Germany.)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:32:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 8)

Some 'historical account' on the man.

Haider rose up in the Liberal Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs = FPÖ). This party had a wing with a brand of liberalism common in Central Europe but less elsewhere: national liberalism, with a focus on collective rather than individual freedoms. However, from the start, this wing was tainted by ex-Nazi members.

Still, it was only after Haider achieved party leadership in 1986 that the FPÖ was transformed into a far-right party. While Haider hit headlines in international media chiefly with his sops for former Nazis (like his appearance at a veterans' meeting of former Waffen SS), domestically, he got votes with a more modern populism.

One element was virulent xenophobia: against immigrants, against ther EU, against Turkey. Another was Haider taking the pose of the defender of 'little men', attacking the Social Democrat and conservative establishment. He also exploited his good looks, playing the part of the healthy young country boy.

The recipe worked best in his home state of Carinthia (which is not only more rural, but a small Slovenian ethnic minority and the memory of post-WWI teritorial losses to Slovenia was opportunity for more xenophobia). Also, the FPÖ's federal election success increased steadily under Haider, and then became his undoing.

In 1999, the FPÖ even beat the conservatives by 415 votes, and wanted power, and got it at the price of giving the chancellorship to conservative Wolfgang Schüssel. But Schüssel was a cynical tactician, and first engineered Haider's departure from the national government, then directed all blame for government failures to the FPÖ, and finally instigated internal conflict.

A series of election losses and high-profile desertions followed. When to boot, the FPÖ's local leader in Vienna showed lusat for power, Haider had enough. He decided to 'elect off' his old party and re-establish it as BZÖ.

But that didn't really work out. Haider could only keep his local base in Carinthia. Most of the FPÖ remained loyal to the new leader, that guy from Vienna, Heinz-Christian Strache. This past elections, the far-right rebounded, but Strache's FPÖ again beat Haider's BZÖ.

Now Strache is a younger, even more hardcore (he had connections to a neo-Nazi group in his youth) and even more vicious edition of Haider. So Haider is gone but the poison from Austrian political life not.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 07:04:50 AM EST

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

Pity it's not socially-allowed to celebrate the death of any individual...

by Xavier in Paris on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 09:23:08 AM EST

Re: not "socially-allowed" (none / 1)

What does that mean? You're friends will look funny at you?

Sweetness and happiness for EVERYONE! Better now?

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 09:34:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 4)

Pity it's not socially-allowed to celebrate the death of any individual...

If you will permit a slight thread-jack, this is actually the most obvious sign I've seen yet that some people are considered untermenchen in our culture.

We are not culturally permitted to celebrate the death of scum like Haider... But what about Osama bin Laden? Surely you don't expect that any newsie in The West(TM) will write nice and polite and non-confrontational epitaphs for him? Is it because Been Forgotten is a different level of scumminess than Haider? Hardly. Is it because Been Forgotten is our enemy? Well, so was Haider, if by "our enemy" you mean an enemy of civilised democracy.

As far as I can tell, the only reason that we're allowed to celebrate the death of bin Laden is that he's brown and speaks funny.

- Jake

Ceterum censeo Chicago esse delendam

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 09:49:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

Or might it just be that Haider never commited acts of terrorism? I recall no one felt bad when they executed Timothy McVeigh, in spite of him being white.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 09:56:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 4)

AFAIK, Been Forgotten never actually committed acts of terrorism. Been Forgotten is a politician, not an operative. That he inspired and abetted others to commit terrorism is not that many orders of magnitude different from Haider aiding and abetting neo-Nazis.

- Jake

Ceterum censeo Chicago esse delendam

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 09:59:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 3)

But all right, let's assume for the sake of the argument that I buy your distinction between "terrorists" like bin Laden and "non-terrorists" like Haider.

Then please do tell me what you think the reaction would have been if I expressed vindictive joy that a Blackwater employee had been killed by Hezbollah while he was running guns to an anti-Hezbollah militia in Southern Lebanon?

Compare and contrast with the likely reaction if I expressed vindictive joy that a Hezbollah member had been killed by Blackwater operatives when running guns to an anti-American militia in Southern Lebanon.

- Jake

Ceterum censeo Chicago esse delendam

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 10:08:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 4)

Actually, some news sources do allow themselves a biting tone.

Austrian magazine derStandard lists his brown-tainted controversies, and this 'obituary' comment:

Man konnte sich nie vorstellen, dass dieser zerstörerische und selbstzerstörerische Politiker einfach so in den Ruhestand oder Vorruhestand hinübergleitet. Ein alter, abgeklärter Jörg Haider - das war irgendwie nicht drin. Nun ist der Kärntner Landeshauptmann, der immer viel und spät nachts unterwegs war, am Steuer seines Dienstwagens tödlich verunglückt. Er wäre in knapp zwei Jahren 60 geworden, aber er wollte nie alt sein und strahlte immer noch eine, wenn auch etwas forcierte Jugendlichkeit aus.		One could never imagine that this destructive and self-destructive politician would simply slide over into retirement or early retirement. An old, mellowed-out Jörg Haider - that was somehow not there. Now the Carinthian governor, who was always driving a lot and late at night, had a fatal accident while he was at the helm of his official car. He would have been 60 in almost two years 60 , but he never wanted to be old, and he still beamed an, even if somewhat forced, youthfulness.
Aber ab einem gewissen Alter lassen die Reflexe und die Aufmerksamkeit unweigerlich nach. Haider war ein Symbol für so unendlich vieles, was problematisch ist an Österreich, obwohl oder eher weil er so viele Hoffnungen so vieler Menschen weckte. Er hätte bis ganz hinauf kommen können, aber sein Charakter kam ihm immer wieder dazwischen. Zuletzt hatte er wieder eine gewisse Rolle gespielt - und wird sie durch seinen Tod vielleicht noch mehr spielen. Das extrem rechte Lager kann sich nun wiedervereinen, Strache kann sein Erbe antreten, ohne sich mit ihm einen Kampf um die Macht liefern zu müssen. Das könnte einiges bedeuten für die Machtkonstellationen im Lande. (Hans Rauscher, derStandard.at, 11.10.2008)		But, after a certain age, reflexes and attention inevitably falter. Haider was a symbol for infinitely much of what is problematic in Austria, despite or rather because he woke so many hopes of so many people. He could have reached the top, but again and again, his character came in-between. Recently, he again played a certain role - and will perhaps gamble it away again with his death. The ultra-right camp can now unite again, Strache can inherit him, without having to enter a fight for power with him. That could mean a few thijngs for the power constellations in the country. (Hans Rauscher, derStandard.at, 11.10.2008)

Then again, the comments section below this article was closed with reference to a "large number of impious postings"...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:25:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 2)

SPIEGEL is even more biting. This is not from a commentary but the news article:

Österreich: Rechtspopulist Jörg Haider stirbt bei Autounfall - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Politik		Austria: right-populist Jörg Haider dies in car accident - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Politics
Wien - Jörg Haider war immer ein Lautsprecher, ein Provokateur und Stimmenfänger am rechten Rand. Durch seine ausländerfeindlichen und den Nationalsozialismus verharmlosenden Äußerungen galt er als einer der umstrittensten und international bekanntesten Politiker Österreichs. Doch erst die Regierungsbeteiligung der FPÖ im Jahr 2000 hatte dem promovierten Juristen eine internationale Bühne für seine verbalen Entgleisungen beschert.		Vienna - Jörg Haider was always a loudspeaker, a provocateur and vote-getter on the right edge [common allusion to The Pied Piper of Hamelin]. Through his xenophobic and Nazism-trivializing remarks, he was considered one of the most controversial and internationally best-known politicians in Austria. But was only the government participation of the FPÖ in 2000 that had brought the graduated lawyer an international stage for his verbal derailments.
Und die nutzte der Mann, dem österreichische Zeitungen "veritable psychische Probleme" unterstellen durften, für seine Tiraden: Er beschimpfte den damaligen deutschen Außenminister Joschka Fischer als "früheren RAF-Symphatisanten", den seinerzeitigen französischen Staatspräsidenten Jacques Chirac als "Westentaschen-Napoleon" und warf Belgien ein "zutiefst korruptes politisches System" vor.		And the man, whom Austrian newspapers were allowed to impute having "veritable psychological problems", used that for his tirades: He insulted the then German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer as a "former RAF ['Baader-Meinhof Gang'] symphatizer," the former French President Jacques Chirac as "Vest pocket Napoleon" and accused Belgium of having a "deeply corrupt political system".

...and it continues after the description of the accident with quotes of Haider's worst far-right verbal escapades on six pages.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:49:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 2)

It will not surprise you, nor will it probably be of any interest, to hear that this is a big deal in a little mini-thread at daily kos. Not his policies, mind you, but the horror of some of us failing to weep and extend condolences. As I said there, what is the concern? That his family avidly reads dk and might be upset?

I don't recall getting any sympathy cards from the right on the death of Senator Wellstone (a real progressive from Minnesota, killed in a plane crash - in fact they tried to make hay out of the man's funeral), nor for that matter on the occasion of the murders of Chico Mendes or Ken Saro-Wiwa.

by melvin on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:50:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

Link?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:55:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 2)

Breaking: Austrian Fascist Joerg Haider Dead at 58 See comments; there aren't all that many.

by melvin on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 12:03:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

Just to note, I left a few comments there -- and more than by the condolence-issuing idiots, I was annoyed by thw two Americans working in /having worked in Austria channeling the Eurabia light meme.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Oct 12th, 2008 at 07:44:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

Ehm. Methinks more than in most cases, here it is clear that the problem is not the man but his views and political style -- which survive, inherited by Strache.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 11:54:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 1)

Right. If the entirety of Austrian right-wing extremism had died along with him, feeling elation at the death of a reprehensible ideology wouldn't seem inappropriate.

Which isn't to say that we have to mourn the guy. I certainly don't.

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 12:17:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

That's the problem, others will pick up the mantle for him.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Oct 12th, 2008 at 12:10:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

Well...
Wasn't he so concerned about those pesky violent foreigners?
It is only fitting that he dies at the hands of a real, serious killer in our societies: road rage.

Road rage is much more of a killer and a REAL problem than foreigners. Were we to live in a more psychologicaly sound society we would pay much more attention to this.

It is not an unhappy day.

Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness - Bertrand Russell

by tiagoantao (put_my_login_here <> gmail com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 09:10:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (4.00 / 2)

Funny how History seems to repeat itself, sometimes:

I heard on the radio that Haider was driving back home from a late dinner, alone in his car and "driving very fast".

Almost 20 years ago, on November 5, 1988, another far-right politician died in similar circumstances: Jean-Pierre Stirbois was a prominent member of France's Front National, seen as FN number 2 right behind founder Jean-Marie Le Pen and the main rival of fellow FN politician and numero uno wannabe, Bruno Megret.

On November 5, 1988, then, Stirbois was driving back home from a late dinner, alone in his car and killed himself in a fiery crash. Investigation would conclude to speeding and alcohol as the main causes of the fatal crash.

Hearing about Haider has let me wondering whether far-right political leaders are more prone to late night reckless driving while intoxicated than the average. Not enough samples to be statistically significant, I guess...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 10:45:50 AM EST

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 1)

It takes quite a bit of talent to kill yourself in a VW Phaeton.

Looking at the car wreck, he must have been driving over 200 km/h if he did that kind of damage just by driving into an embankment and rolling over several times. The kink in the roof probably caused the severe injuries to the head and chest. Or maybe he did not have his seatbelt fastened.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sat Oct 11th, 2008 at 01:12:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Jörg Haider dies in car crash (none / 0)

They released the estimate of speed at crash, which was just above the double of tha allowed speed (142 km/h instead of 70 km/h).

And the top investigator felt necessary to declare that there is no sign of any tampering on the car... in response to paranoia from Haider fans.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Oct 12th, 2008 at 02:10:30 PM EST

Jörg Haider dies in car crash | 23 comments (23 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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