Wien (OTS) - New York, NY, February 2, 2012.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) commended Austrian President Heinz
Fischer for his decision not to honor the leader of Austria's
far-right Freedom Party with a major national award.

Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache was scheduled to receive
the Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria in
honor of his 10 years of government service. But the award was
cancelled today in the aftermath of his comments at the Wiener
Korporations-Ball, where Strache reportedly was overheard comparing
public protests against the ball to the Nazis' persecution of Jews
during Kristallnacht.

The following is the text of a letter sent to the Austrian president
by Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director:

Dear Mr. President,

We commend your decision to withdraw the award to Heinz-Christian
Strache of the Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of
Austria. Mr. Strache's outrageous comments at the Wiener
Korporations-Ball, where he reportedly compared protests being staged
outside the ball to Jewish persecution during Kristallnacht, were
deeply offensive and unbecoming of an Austrian political leader.

The immediate widespread condemnation of Mr. Strache's comments by
Austria's political and civil society leaders speak volumes about the
sensitivity and morality of most Austrians. As President,
representing all of Austria's citizens, your decision to cancel the
award firmly underscores that trivialization of the Holocaust has no
place in Austrian society and will not be tolerated.

Unfortunately, because Mr. Strache's extremist views are held by
certain segments of Austrian society, it is vital that you and other
Austrian leaders continue to speak out against all forms of hatred
and incitement. We are appreciative of your actions, and please be
assured of our highest consideration.
Abraham H. Foxman

ADL had previously condemned Strache's remarks as outrageous and
deeply offensive.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading
organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services
that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Die Anti-Defamation League (kurz: ADL, dt. Antidiffamierungsliga) ist
eine amerikanische Organisation mit Sitz in Washington D.C., die
gegen Diskriminierung und Diffamierung von Juden eintritt. Die
Organisation wurde 1913 in Chicago von Mitgliedern der Organisation
B'nai B'rith (hebräisch: "Söhne des Bundes") gegründet.
Haupttätigkeit der Organisation ist der Kampf gegen den
Antisemitismus.

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