Taras Borodajkewycz
Encyclopedia
Taras Borodajkewycz (October 1, 1902 in what is today Ukraine
– January 3, 1984 in Vienna
), was a former member of the NSDAP and after World War II
professor
of economic history
at the College of World Trade in Vienna (today: Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration).
-national
ideas which attempted to combine Catholic with pan-German
ideas. During the mid-30s, he became a supporter of the ideas of national socialism
.
He was a member of K.A.V. Norica Wien, a Catholic Studentenverbindung
that was member of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
, from which he was expelled in 1945 because of his support of and membership in the NSDAP. However, his continue sympathic with national socialism were apparent. He repeatedly made neo-Nazi and antisemitic remarks in class, with which he became a favorite of students, most of which shared right-wing political views at that time.
, today President of Austria
, attacked Borodajkewycz because of his remarks in class in a journal article, which was based on a student
's class notes. Since he did not want to identify the student (Ferdinand Lacina, later Austrian minister of finance, who had not graduated yet and might not have been able to do so), Fischer was convicted of defamation of character in a trial initiated by Borodajkewycz and had to pay a fine. Borodajkewycz felt encouraged by the verdict and disclosed his views more openly in his lectures from that time onwards.
members and unions
took place. The demonstration clashed with a countermarch organized by the Ring Freiheitlicher Studenten, the student organization of the Freedom Party of Austria
. Ernst Kirchweger
, a former resistance member and concentration camp survivor, who was watching the demonstrations but not participating himself, was seriously injured by a right-wing demonstrator. He died some days after the demonstration, becoming the first political death of the Second Republic.
In April 1965, the defamation trial against Fischer was reopened, and he was acquitted on the basis of a testimony by Lacina, who had graduated in the meantime. An appeal by Borodajkewicz was rejected.
Ultimately, Borodajkewycz was forced into retirement (with full salary) in spite of strong resistance by the minister of education, Theodor Piffl-Percevic. During the following years, he continued to publish articles in right-wing journals.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
– January 3, 1984 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
), was a former member of the NSDAP and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of economic history
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
at the College of World Trade in Vienna (today: Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration).
Life
During the interwar years, he was an adherent of CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
-national
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
ideas which attempted to combine Catholic with pan-German
Pan-Germanism
Pan-Germanism is a pan-nationalist political idea. Pan-Germanists originally sought to unify the German-speaking populations of Europe in a single nation-state known as Großdeutschland , where "German-speaking" was taken to include the Low German, Frisian and Dutch-speaking populations of the Low...
ideas. During the mid-30s, he became a supporter of the ideas of national socialism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
.
He was a member of K.A.V. Norica Wien, a Catholic Studentenverbindung
Studentenverbindung
A Studentenverbindung is a student corporation in a German-speaking country somewhat comparable to fraternities in the US or Canada, but mostly older and going back to other kinds of...
that was member of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
The Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen or Cartellverband is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities .-Foundation:...
, from which he was expelled in 1945 because of his support of and membership in the NSDAP. However, his continue sympathic with national socialism were apparent. He repeatedly made neo-Nazi and antisemitic remarks in class, with which he became a favorite of students, most of which shared right-wing political views at that time.
The 1962 scandal
In 1962, the first scandal took place. Heinz FischerHeinz Fischer
Heinz Fischer GColIH is the President of Austria. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria...
, today President of Austria
President of Austria
The President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
, attacked Borodajkewycz because of his remarks in class in a journal article, which was based on a student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
's class notes. Since he did not want to identify the student (Ferdinand Lacina, later Austrian minister of finance, who had not graduated yet and might not have been able to do so), Fischer was convicted of defamation of character in a trial initiated by Borodajkewycz and had to pay a fine. Borodajkewycz felt encouraged by the verdict and disclosed his views more openly in his lectures from that time onwards.
The 1965 scandal
In March 1965, a demonstration against Borodajkewycz organized by students, former resistanceResistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
members and unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
took place. The demonstration clashed with a countermarch organized by the Ring Freiheitlicher Studenten, the student organization of the Freedom Party of Austria
Freedom Party of Austria
The Freedom Party of Austria is a political party in Austria. Ideologically, the party is a direct descendant of the German national liberal camp, which dates back to the 1848 revolutions. The FPÖ itself was founded in 1956 as the successor to the short-lived Federation of Independents , which had...
. Ernst Kirchweger
Ernst Kirchweger
Ernst Kirchweger was the first person to die as a result of political conflict in Austria's Second Republic....
, a former resistance member and concentration camp survivor, who was watching the demonstrations but not participating himself, was seriously injured by a right-wing demonstrator. He died some days after the demonstration, becoming the first political death of the Second Republic.
In April 1965, the defamation trial against Fischer was reopened, and he was acquitted on the basis of a testimony by Lacina, who had graduated in the meantime. An appeal by Borodajkewicz was rejected.
Ultimately, Borodajkewycz was forced into retirement (with full salary) in spite of strong resistance by the minister of education, Theodor Piffl-Percevic. During the following years, he continued to publish articles in right-wing journals.