Lawsuit Against "Standard" Successful: Gudenus Defends Himself Against SS Song Allegation
The daily newspaper "Der Standard" was convicted again on Monday in connection with reporting on a funeral where, according to reports, an alleged "SS song" was said to have been sung. Already in January, three FPÖ politicians won a corresponding case for defamation in the first instance. Now, the former Freedom Party member Johann Gudenus was also successful in court, confirmed the Vienna Regional Criminal Court to the APA.
The starting point was the funeral of a fraternity member who was laid to rest on September 27, 2024, at the Hernalser Cemetery. At his request, the song "Wenn alle untreu werden" was intoned. A video of this was sent to the "Standard," which subsequently reported that the FPÖ politicians Martin Graf, Harald Stefan, and Norbert Nemeth, as well as Gudenus, present at the funeral, did not leave, even though the so-called "SS loyalty song" was sung at the open grave.
Distancing from SS: An "Older Version" of the Song Was Sung at the Funeral
Specifically, the participants at the funeral argued that the version sung there was an older variant of the song. It was only later that the song was adapted by the SS. Nevertheless, the parliamentary immunity of the three active politicians was lifted by the National Council in December, so that investigations by the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office for suspected violations of the Prohibition Act could be initiated.
"Der Standard" Must Pay Over 20,000 Euros in Compensation, Appeals
Graf, Stefan, and Nemeth have already won the process under the Media Act in the first instance. The court found that several articles fulfilled the offense of defamation. The plaintiffs were awarded a total of 20,250 euros in compensation. Gudenus, who is no longer politically active, initiated a separate proceeding. On Monday, the "Standard" was sentenced to compensation, publication of the judgment, and reimbursement of costs. The newspaper filed a full appeal.
(APA/Red)
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