Friedhelm Frischenschlager (born 6 October 1943 in

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

) is an

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ** Austria-Hungary ** Austria ...

politician and served in the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

. Originally he was a member of the

Freedom Party of Austria The Freedom Party of Austria (, FPÖ) is a political party in Austria, variously described as far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and Eurosceptic. It has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021. It is the largest of five part ...

before co-founding the

Liberal Forum The Liberal Forum (, LiF) was a centrist, liberal political party in Austria. The party was active from February 1993 to January 2014, when the party merged into NEOS – The New Austria. A member of the Liberal International and the Allianc ...

in 1993.

Career

Frischenshlager's political career spanned over 4 decades from the 1970s to 2000s. His career started as a member of the Liberal Party of Austria and deputy of the National Assembly (since 1977). He served as the Federal Minister for Defense (1983–1986) under the administrations of

Fred Sinowatz Alfred Sinowatz (5 February 192911 August 2008) was an Austrian historian and politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), who served as Chancellor of Austria from 1983 to 1986. Prior to becoming Chancellor, he had served as Minister of Educ ...

and

Norbert Steger Norbert Steger (born 6 March 1944) is an Austrian lawyer and former politician for the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). He was the FPÖ party leader from 1980 to 1986, and Vice Chancellor A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the ch ...

. He also served as the party's Deputy Head / Floor Leaders from 1986–1990. On 4 February 1993, Frischenschlager was one of the liberal members in the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), including five members of the National Council of Austria, who left the party and founded the Liberal Forum. The five National members who co-founded LIF are

Heide Schmidt Heide Schmidt (born 27 November 1948 in Kempten im Allgäu, Germany) is an Austrian politician. A lawyer and formerly a prominent member of Jörg Haider's Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), in 1993 Schmidt was one of a group of politicians who, be ...

, Klara Motter, Friedhelm Frischenschlager, Hans Helmut Moser, and Thomas Barmüller. Frischenshlager also served in the European Parliament (1996–1999), Director of the department of democratization of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo (2001–2003), and Secretary General of the Union of European Federalists, Brussels (UEF) (since 2005). In 2006, he became Administrative Head of the post graduate Course of Balkan Studies, University of Vienna (post graduate), together with the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM).

Controversy

Frischenschlager (FPÖ) as Defense Minister officially welcomed 24 January 1985 at Graz-Thalerhof airport, former SS-Sturmbannführer

Walter Reder Walter Reder (4 February 1915 – 26 April 1991) was an Austrian SS commander and war criminal during World War II. He served with the SS Division Totenkopf and the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS, SS Division Reichsführer-SS. H ...

, who had flown to Austria for 34 years in prison. in the Italian fortress

Gaeta Gaeta (; ; Southern Latian dialect, Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a seaside resort in the province of Latina in Lazio, Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The city has played ...

. This gesture of a member of the Austrian government towards the previously released Austrian National Socialist war criminal - Commander one of Battalion of

16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS The 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division "Reichsführer-SS" () was a motorised infantry formation in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. The division, during its time in Italy, committed a number of war crimes, and, together with the ...

accused of the

Marzabotto massacre The Marzabotto massacre (in Italian ''strage di Marzabotto'', "Marzabotto slaughter"), or more correctly, the massacre of Monte Sole, was a World War II war crime consisting of the mass murder of 1,830 civilians by Nazi troops, which took plac ...

in October 1944 - sparked international scandal.Barbara Tóth
''Der Handschlag. Die Affäre Frischenschlager-Reder''
Dissertation, Betr.: Prof. Dr. Oliver Rathkolb (Wien 2010), p. 112-168

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frischenschlager, Friedhelm 1943 births Freedom Party of Austria politicians Living people Members of the 14th National Council (Austria) Members of the 15th National Council (Austria) Members of the 16th National Council (Austria) Members of the 17th National Council (Austria) Members of the 18th National Council (Austria) Members of the 19th National Council (Austria) Members of the 20th National Council (Austria)