Re: News from Austria

**bb1** Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:22 pm

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14808664.Hitler_s_house_will_be_remodelled__not_torn_down__says_Austrian_minister/

The building where Adolf Hitler was born may be spared demolition but will emerge heavily disguised, Austria's interior minister has now said.

On Monday, Wolfgang Sobotka told the daily Die Presse that "the Hitler house will be torn down".

On Tuesday, he told reporters that the term "torn down" is debatable but the building, in the western town of Braunau, will be so thoroughly redesigned that it "will not be recognisable".

READ MORE: House of Hitler's birth in Austria to be demolished

The house, a large three-storey Renaissance-era structure, contains the apartment where Hitler was born.

Several members of a government-appointed commission on the future of the house said destroying it to end its attraction for admirers of the Nazi dictator would give an impression of trying to erase part of Austria's history.

Renaissance? I don't think so?

**Lamplighter** Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:53 pm

Renaissance? I don't think so?

I looked it up and it dates back to the 17th century which puts it in the Renaissance period in European history, considered to be from the 14th to the 17th century and regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history. It has been remodeled many times over the years. LL

**bb1** Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:56 pm

Ah right, thanks, LL. I didn't realise it was as old as that.

**Lamplighter** Wed Oct 19, 2016 9:07 am

New row over Hitler house demolition plan
Published: 18 Oct 2016
A new row erupted on Tuesday over Austria's plans to demolish the house where Adolf Hitler was born, with experts saying they opposed its destruction only a day after a decision was announced.
https://www.thelocal.at/20161018/new-row-over-hitler-house-demolition-plan

**bb1** Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:17 am

Perhaps it should be turned into something that will be kryptonite to the crazies, like a gay art gallery......

**lily** Wed Oct 19, 2016 2:32 pm

**Lamplighter** Thu Oct 20, 2016 4:56 pm

Austrian policeman sentenced over 'Heil Hitler' salute
Published: 20 Oct 2016
A policeman in Austria was sentenced on Thursday for shouting "Heil Hitler" at a driver during a traffic check at the Hungarian border in April.

A Vienna court handed the officer a nine-month suspended jail term after finding him guilty of "re-engagement with National Socialism" -- a crime in Austria since 1947 and punishable by up to ten years in prison.

The 29-year-old was denounced by a colleague who had witnessed the incident that took place at the Nickelsdorf border checkpoint, in Burgenland state, on April 27th.

The accused had stopped a Hungarian driver and greeted him with the phrase "Heil Hitler", according to the prosecution.

The policeman denied the charge, insisting his colleague had misunderstood him.
https://www.thelocal.at/20161020/austrian-policeman-sentenced-over-heil-hitler-salute

**Lamplighter** Fri Oct 21, 2016 3:33 pm

Three refugees arrested on drugs charges
Three refugees arrested on drugs charges
Published: 21 Oct 2016
A gang of three Afghani drug dealers has been busted in Vienna.
The suspects, all refugees who fled Afghanistan, were caught with €50,000 which they had made selling drugs.
They had been doing a roaring trade in cannabis. Police said that so far this year they sold around 50kg of the drug to customers across Austria.
https://www.thelocal.at/20161021/three-refugees-arrested-on-drugs-charges
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A young Hungarian woman has died after being crushed by a snowcat piste machine on the Dobratsch mountain in Carinthia in southern Austria.

The 24-year-old was riding in the snowcat with her boyfriend, when he lost control of the machine. She was thrown out of the cab, and crushed under the vehicle.

The woman and her 40-year-old partner, who manages an Alpine hut on the mountain, were on their way up to the summit. He lost control of the snowcat on a snow-covered track, about 1,920 meters above sea level. The vehicle slipped off the track and went tumbling down the mountain, landing on its right side about 15 metres below the path.

The young woman was trapped under the heavy machine and died before an emergency medical team and fire officers could reach her. Her boyfriend had to walk up to the hut in order to call the medics, which took him an hour. By the time help arrived, it was too late. The 40-year-old man was unharmed but is in a state of shock.

News from Austria - Page 12 B002356fc930cb2217a8c9de86d1dbd4bb4dfe34f0840b22d228de9f64628472

News from Austria - Page 12 B002356fc930cb2217a8c9de86d1dbd4bb4dfe34f0840b22d228de9f64628472

**bb1** Fri Oct 21, 2016 3:42 pm

That's awful, LL, poor girl - and I doubt if her boyfriend will ever forgive himself.

**lily** Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:11 pm

So sad......

**Lamplighter** Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:47 pm

Austrian churches slam far-right's 'God' slogan
Published: 24 Oct 2016
Austrian church officials have denounced far-right presidential candidate Norbert Hofer for "instrumentalising" God in a new slogan as he seeks to rally support ahead of a scandal-plagued election re-run.
Campaign posters unveiled by Hofer's anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPÖ) last week feature the phrase "So help me God" alongside slogans like "Norbert Hofer. For Austria with heart and soul".
The party said it chose the religious reference because it reflected "a strong anchorage in Christian and western values".
But the country's three main Protestant churches accused of Hofer of "abusing" the name of God to push a xenophobic agenda.
https://www.thelocal.at/20161024/austrian-churches-slam-far-rights-god-slogan

**bb1** Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:54 pm

Always good to know that other countries have squabbling politicians, LL.

**Lamplighter** Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:37 pm

Published: 28 Oct 2016
Austrian police have seized 47 puppies found in a car at the Hungarian border. The driver was headed for France, where authorities suspect he planned to sell the animals as French-born.

Photo: Landespolizeidirektion Burgenland

Austrian police have seized 47 puppies found in a car at the Hungarian border. The driver was headed for France, where authorities suspect he planned to sell the animals as French-born.

Police in the state of Burgenland say they found the puppies in the trunk and back seat of the 33-year-old Romanian's car during a routine check on Wednesday.

They said the puppies were French and English bulldogs, Yorkshire terriers, and chihuahuas.

The driver told police he was a professional dog breeder and handed officers 24 European Union pet passports, which turned out to contain forged data.

A vet who examined the puppies said they were about six weeks old and hadn't been microchipped. According to European animal welfare regulations, a puppy should only separated from its mother at eight weeks of age.

Officials suspect the Romanian puppies were to be microchipped in France, so that they could be sold as French-born animals for a higher price. The driver could now face animal cruelty charges.

The puppies are being cared for at an animal welfare centre in Burgenland and will be in quarantine for the next few weeks to ensure that they don’t have any viral diseases such as distemper. Animals who have been confiscated from illegal breeders are usually cared for in shelters for eight weeks before being offered for adoption.

Makes a change from people smuggling, which is practiced by many Romanian gangs. LL

**bb1** Fri Oct 28, 2016 5:38 pm

Aw, want one! smile

**lily** Fri Oct 28, 2016 7:01 pm

Me too. xxxx

**Lamplighter** Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:17 pm

Austria has sent 60 troops to Hungary's border with non-EU Serbia as Vienna's defence minister warned that the EU's migrants deal with Turkey was "showing cracks".

Austria's defence ministry said that the soldiers will not be armed or be involved in intercepting people making it past Hungary's border fence with Serbia.
https://www.thelocal.at/20161103/austria-sends-troops-to-hungary-serbia-border
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Austria’s most magical Christmas markets
Published: 03 Nov 2016
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The Christmas season has officially begun - with a 27 metre high spruce tree installed on Vienna’s Rathausplatz, in front of City Hall.
https://www.thelocal.at/20161103/austrias-most-magical-christmas-markets

Only 8 days to go and I'll be there!! LL Dancing

**bb1** Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:22 pm

News from Austria - Page 12 1478170165_Schoenbrunn468

It all sounds absolutely wonderful, LL! smile

**Lamplighter** Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:46 pm

Oh, it is, the gluhwein, langos, bratwurst mit senf, let alone the goods for sale. This is my favorite, Christkindlmarkt at the Rathausplatz! LL
http://www.visitingvienna.com/sights/christmasmarkets/rathausplatz/

**Sabot** Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:56 pm

bb1 wrote:Aw, want one!

At 1,500 Euros a throw? I would love one, but beyond the size of my pocket.

**lily** Thu Nov 03, 2016 4:47 pm

One of these years I want to go to Austria for Christmas. I am wishing it were this one now.... rofl

**bb1** Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:32 am

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/728710/Austria-parliament-fire-roof-firefighters-Vienna

BREAKING NEWS: Austrian Parliament roof on fire - thick smoke engulfs Vienna for miles

AUSTRIA'S Parliament building is on fire, with Vienna engulfed in thick black plumes of smoke for miles.

By REBECCA PERRING
PUBLISHED: 10:13, Fri, Nov 4, 2016 | UPDATED: 10:25, Fri, Nov 4, 2016

Firefighters are currently tackling the blaze at the building in Vienna, which has sent huge plumes of black smoke into the sky.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and authorities are investigating.

The parliament building, built in the 19th century, is due to be renovated and the fire service said it was too soon to say what had caused the fire.

The Vienna fire brigade spokesman said: "Because we were on site so quickly and with so many forces we were able to extinguish the fire very quickly.

"All post-extinction activities have been completed and staff are able to go back into the building.

"I would say that the damage is relatively small because the fire was more on the roof than in the roof."

More to follow...

Sounds like a workman left a torch burning when he was working on the roof?

**Lamplighter** Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:44 am

From Wiener Zeitung:

Vienna. A fire on the roof of Parliament in Vienna was quickly brought under control by a large-scale deployment of the professional fire brigade. A cooling tower was in flames, after about an hour could be reported "fire off". There were no casualties to complain about, and according to the Directorate of the Parliament, the material damage was also limited, the operation continued undisturbed.

Seems to be under control. LL

**bb1** Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:48 am

That's good, LL, it's a beautiful building. I suspect the cause will turn out to be carelessness.....

**Lamplighter** Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:55 am

bb1 wrote:That's good, LL, it's a beautiful building. I suspect the cause will turn out to be carelessness.....

Or an electrical fault. Yes, itis a lovely building inside and out. Vienna has some wonderful old buildings. LL

**Lamplighter** Fri Nov 04, 2016 12:29 pm

Update on where fire was:

According to Gerald Schimpf, a spokesman for the Vienna fire brigade, it was quickly assessed that the fire had originated in the roof's ventilation system. The cause is as of yet unknown.

LL

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