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Last update - 05:26 16/11/2007 Man cleared of causing suicide of prof who wrote of 'Jewish conspiracy' By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Austria  The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg Thursday acquitted an Austrian journalist of "causing the suicide" of a German professor who claimed that the Jews declared war on Germany in 1933. The ruling was handed down in a complicated case involving freedom of speech, libel and anti-Semitism. The court found in favor of veteran journalist Karl Pfeifer, ruling that Austrian courts failed to protect Pfeifer's good name. The court ordered the Austrian government to pay Pfeifer 5,000 euros in damages and 10,000 euros in court costs. The verdict states that the Austrian courts violated article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights - the right to a private life. The court was not convinced that the reasons put forward by the lower Austrian courts concerning freedom of expression outweighed the right of the applicant to have his reputation safeguarded. Advertisement In 1995, a German professor, Dr. Werner Pfeifenberger, published an article about the "Jewish conspiracy," beginning with the 1789 French Revolution. He claimed that the Jews declared war on Germany in 1933. Pfeifer, who edited the Austrian Jewish community newspaper, responded with an article in which he accused the German professor of underrating the crimes of the Nazi regime. Pfeifenberger sued Pfeifer for libel. Two lower appeals courts and a high appeals court rejected Pfeifenberger's lawsuit in 1997 and 1998, ruling that Pfeifer expressed an important opinion, based on facts. Five years later, in 2000, the Austrian attorney general decided to charge Pfeifenberger whose article, the indictment alleged, violated the law prohibiting Nazi activity. Shortly thereafter, Pfeifenberger committed suicided. In June 2000, right-wing weekly Zur Zeit - which receives hundreds of thousands of euros in aid from the Austrian government - published an article condemning the "Jewish journalist Karl Pfeifer" for conducting a "manhunt" and accusing him of causing the suicide of the "Catholic professor Pfeifenberger." Editor Andreas Moelzer also sent a letter to subscribers accusing a gang of "anti-fascists" of conducting a campaign against the newspaper and again stating that the "Jewish journalist" Pfeiffer was part of the "hunt". Moelzer is a member of the European parliament and active in a pro-fascist party. In 2001 and 2002, Pfeifer sued Zur Zeit for libel and its editor for slander and defamation of character. A Viennese court ruled in Pfeifer's favor. However, the weekly and its editor appealed the verdict and a higher court overturned that ruling in 2002. A judge at Austria's highest appeals court, Doris Trieb, ruled that Pfeifer had "moral" responsibility for Pfeifenberger's suicide. In 2003, Pfeifer appealed to the European court against the Austrian courts and government. Pfeifer told Haaretz Thursday after his victory that "it was hard enough to stand three years in Austrian courts because I did not believe that 'the Jews declared war in 1933 on Germany.' But then to see Dr. Trieb point her finger at me and accuse me of being responsible 'only morally' for a man's suicide was even harder. "Of course, this was also absurd. How could I have 'hunted' a man to his death five years after a review I published in 1995? I am happy that I am not at the mercy of Austrian justice. The fact remains that the anti-Semitic rag Zur Zeit is subsidized by the Austrian government and the subsidy continues. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Pot shots Hamas says Gazan rockets are not aimed at Israeli women and children. I'll be watching you Hezbollah says it will monitor Israel's civil defense drill closely.   1.   REVERRED WIENNA HABAD RABBI BIDERMAN, TAKE CONTROL, INSTALL ORDER 06:14  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 16/11/07   2.   Shaking demons loose 06:30  |  newbie 16/11/07   3.   zionism silenced critic 08:00  |  beagentile 16/11/07   4.   something stinks here 08:17  |  ruti 16/11/07   5.   Habad Restoring Order 10:37  |  Sammy 16/11/07   6.   The right address 11:07  |  F 16/11/07   7.   A bored and sick Europe 11:53  |  FOX 16/11/07   8.   AUSTRIA A HOTBED OF ANTI JEWISH FEELING:http://eurostan.eu/index. 12:06  |  D.Sturmer 16/11/07   9.   Anti-Semitism Is A Mental Disease 14:49  |  Yosemite 16/11/07   10.   To Fox ... I disagree about A bored and sick Europe 21:02  |  Ines 06/04/08   11.   D Stunner Not only antismetimis in Austria 21:07  |  Ines 06/04/08   12.   Yosemite : Any extreme " Ism " is a sort of mental disease 21:14  |  Ines 06/04/08   13.   To F ..... The right address ..... 21:21  |  Ines 06/04/08

Today Online Israel, U.S. plan to release details on Sept. 2007 Syria attack Responses: 99 Hamas official: Israel refused offers for temporary cease-fire Responses: 119 Border Police let settlers retake illegal West Bank outpost Responses: 55 Haredi passengers riot aboard El Al plane over screening of film Responses: 59 Rosner's Domain The popular Condi Rice (WTR) Rabbi Yoffie vs. Pastor Hagee What is worth fighting for? Government trying to block witness in AIPAC trial (WTR) Israel Factor: McCain-Barak, the dream team More Headlines 21:15 Palestinians: IDF shell kills 5-year-old in Gaza 21:26 IDF razes 10 more roadblocks in bid to ease West Bank mobility 18:35 Hamas official: Israel refused offers for temporary cease-fire 19:04 Hezbollah No. 2: IDF drills are preparation for war on Lebanon 22:05 Due to rabbis' pressure, grocery chain closes some branches on Sabbath 22:04 Government unveils plans for $28M 60th anniversary bash 21:17 Woman threatens to blow herself up across from Knesset building 18:17 My big fat gay Jewish family 17:57 IDF checkpoints force Palestinian rally drivers to race indoors 19:56 Three Israeli teens detained in Tokyo after drugs found in luggage 13:33 Ultra-Orthodox passengers riot aboard El Al plane over screening of film 20:22 Shas: Selling hametz on Passover 'black stain on Israel's Jewish identity' 16:29 Tycoon Gaydamak to resign as consultant to Angolan president 17:07 Posters of Supreme Court justices found scrawled with swastikas Previous Editions Select Day 04 apr 03 apr 02 apr 01 apr 31 mar 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar

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