Austria’s new interior minister dismisses allegations of anti-Semitism

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Austria’s new interior minister has rejected allegations of anti-Semitism by prominent Jewish figures in the country.

An open letter – also signed by a Nobel laureate for literature – called for the dismissal of Gerhard Karner.

Karner was only appointed Home Secretary a week ago when his predecessor Karl Nehammer became Austria’s new chancellor.

He is accused of making anti-Semitic comments during a regional election campaign more than 13 years ago while he was regional leader of the conservative Austrian People’s Party.

According to German media, Karner once accused the Austrian Social Democrats of working “against the country with men from America and Israel” and of carrying out a “dirty election campaign”.

An open letter from a group that included Jewish students, academics and Holocaust victims expressed dismay at his appointment and said the “anti-Semitic dimension of this comment is evident.”

“We are convinced that this person is totally unsuitable for the post of Minister of the Interior and call on the government to put our security in the hands of moderate politicians,” the letter added.

Karner said in a statement that the fight against anti-Semitism and all forms of extremism has been a “deeply personal concern” for him for decades. He expressed regret for the comment but dismissed the allegations of anti-Semitism.

Karner added that he also arranged a personal meeting with Austria’s top Jewish leader Oskar Deutsch on the matter.

“If the things I said then have been understood in an ambiguous manner, I regret it,” said the Minister of the Interior.

“The comments were never intended to go in that direction, and I wouldn’t be doing them now.”

Karner has already been criticized for a museum in his former town hall in Texingtal, dedicated to Engelbert Dollfuß.

Dollfuß – an admirer of Italian fascism – became Austria’s increasingly authoritarian leader from 1932 to 1934. The museum is due to be renovated next year.

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