Neo-Nazis plan illegal Hitler birthday rally

Press, 20 April 1979, Page 5

Neo-Nazis plan illegal Hitler birthday rally

NZPA-Reuter Vienna Austrian authorities have uncovered plans to hold an illegal neo-Nazi rally in western Austria this weekend to mark what would have been Adolf Hitler’s ninetieth birthday. An Interior Ministry spokesman said that the United States-based National Socialist Germany Worker’s Party—Foreign Organisation had distributed pamphlets urging supporters to attend a rally on Saturday in Braunau, near the West German border, where Hitler was born on April 20, <lBB9. The pamphlets instructed participants to use force if the police prevented the rally from taking place. Nazi rallies are banned under Austrian law. The planned rally co-

incides with General Elec-r tion campaigning in Braunau by the Austrian Chancellor I (Dr Bruno Kreisky). a Socialist of Jewish origin, and Alexander Goetz, leader of the small Rightist opposition Freedom Party which sheltered many Nazis after the Second World War. The spokesman said the neo-Nazis were probably unaware of the campaign appearances when the rally was organised but added that they complicated security precautions. He said the authorities had no idea how many people would attend the rally but they were strengthening police and border guard units in the area. The neo-Nazi pamphlet,

which appeared to have been printed in South America, had instructed “old comrades” to hide their uniforms. swastika banners, and armbands when entering Austria, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the police found the secret 1 pamphlet three weeks ago while searching the apartments of three students be-] longing to a neo-Nazi group called New Right Action. The authorities consider this group the most active and military neo-Nazi organisation in Austria.

The pamphlets and other, confiscated material were the, first evidence police found of connections between young Austrian neo-Nazis and “old Nazi" groups such as the American-based organisation.