TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG, editorial: “Unworthy of high dignity”, by Benedikt Mair

2023-12-12 21:01:11

Edition from Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Innsbruck (OTS) – Tyrol creates the opportunity to revoke the decorations of Nazi greats even though they have been dead for a long time. This step was overdue. But the fact that followers and supporters of the Nazi regime should remain unmolested is fatal.

Anyone who has done something for this country has always wanted to do something good for them – even if that something is just a piece of metal. Since 1956, the official Tyrol has been handing out decorations to people who – in its opinion – have particularly distinguished themselves through their work for the general public. Thousands of people can call themselves bearers of the Cross of Merit and the like. It was known that not all of them had only good things in mind throughout their lives. But this is only being responded to now.
The state of Tyrol wants to be able to revoke all kinds of awards it has awarded in the future. Even when those honored are long dead. This plan, which has yet to be implemented, primarily targets Nazi greats who, despite their history, made careers in post-war society. And then they got brooches pinned on them or medals hung around their necks. The fact that there is the possibility of withdrawing these posthumously is an overdue step.
However, the requirements for this are high. They are only fulfilled by those who took leading roles in the National Socialist regime and its organizations. Or were actively involved in planning or committing crimes against humanity. But what happens to the willing followers? What about the stirrup holders of the Nazi regime? What happens to those who researched racial ideology, wrote propaganda songs or represented and spread an anti-Semitic worldview? There are several biographies that fit this pattern. People who, according to today’s values, achieved high honors without dignity. With the new law in its intended form, their actions and thoughts would be given the rating “unproblematic”. The Order remains, so was everything okay? Hardly likely.
The fact that the state of Tyrol only wants to take action when called upon and only examine questionable cases after information from researchers or the public has a bad aftertaste. It would be appropriate if an internal group commissioned to do this took a close look at the awarding practices of the past decades and named honorary medal recipients with dubious entries in their CVs. The current impression is that this rule, which is difficult to implement, is only intended to whitewash the situation. In any case, honestly facing the mistakes of the past looks different.