Light show at the castle gate: “Herbert Kickl would have deported us”

The Jewish Austrian Students (JöH) are organizing a seven-day vigil “against the right-wing extremist FPÖ on the occasion of the 2024 National Council elections.”

Already on Monday night there was the first light projection on the castle gate

Video installation at the Burgtor: “Fear of the People’s Chancellor at Heldenplatz”

© Ouriel Morgensztern/jöh

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“Fear and Anxiety”

The JöH say that they are “anxious and fearful” of a People’s Chancellor on Heldenplatz.

“The party of the basement Nazis announces that it will nominate Herbert Kickl as 'People's Chancellor' – a title that Adolf Hitler once gave himself. The FPÖ was founded by convinced Nazis, its spiritual successors – anti-Semitic fraternity members, right-wing extremist demagogues and organized neo-fascists – are pursuing “the same goal to this day: a policy of hatred and division that ultimately harms all people in Austria,” says a press release from Jewish Austrian university students.

Video installation at the Burgtor: “Fear of the People’s Chancellor at Heldenplatz”

© Ouriel Morgensztern/jöh

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“Historical and present danger”

The vigil is intended to draw attention to the “historical and present danger posed by people’s chancellors on Heldenplatz”.

For young Jews, every National Council election is associated with fear and worry, say the organizers. A video installation visualizes the following questions and answers in the form of a question: “Would Herbert Kickl have hidden us back then?” and “Herbert Kickl would have deported us.”

This is projected on the left and right of the castle gate, in front of the Heldenplatz, clearly visible to everyone.

Video installation at the Burgtor: “Fear of the People’s Chancellor at Heldenplatz”

© Ouriel Morgensztern/jöh

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Alon Ishay, President of the Jewish Austrian University Students (JöH) explains the video installation on the Burgtor: “As young Jews, we often ask ourselves the tragic question of who hid us during the Nazi era. The FPÖ leader's answer is brief and sobering: Herbert Kickl would have deported us.”

Daily from 19:30

Every day from 7:30 p.m. – until election Sunday – there will be speeches and text contributions from authors, journalists and public figures, such as:

• Elfriede Jelinek, author and Nobel Prize winner for literature

• Robert Schindel, author and Holocaust survivor

• Ariel Muzicant, President of the European Jewish Congress

• Doron Rabinovici, author and historian

• Julya Rabinowich, author and columnist

• Eric Frey, The Standard

• Claudia Prutscher, Vice President of the Israelite Community of Vienna

• Bini Guttmann, Executive Councilor of the World Jewish Congress

According to the organizers, everyone who walks past the Burgtor on the Ringstrasse in front of Heldenplatz should pay attention.