Jan Böhmermann, the FPÖ and the “Nazi club”: provocation and hysterical reaction

Enlarge image

Jan Böhmermann in the “ZDF Magazin Royale” episode about the FPÖ: Austrians with ski pass ID

Photo: ZDF

Anyone who tuned in to the latest episode of “ZDF Magazin Royale” on Friday evening could, in principle, know in advance what to expect. "The FPÖ and its People's Chancellor" was the title of the satirical program - and naturally Jan Böhmermann and his editorial team had compiled a large number of scandals surrounding the right-wing extremist Austrian party and its candidate for chancellor Herbert Kickl.

In terms of content, the examples from Kickl's term as Interior Minister and the FPÖ's closeness to the "Identitarians" were well known. Böhmermann pointed out, for example, that the term “remigration,” which was the focus of the infamous Potsdam meeting, has long been open FPÖ policy. 

But it wasn't the content of the program that caused a stir, not the main part, in which Böhmermann ironically brought out the "Nazi club" several times and took it back again - and stated, for example, that Kickl was definitely not a "Nazi or something like that." Böhmermann even vowed to do without a single Hitler comparison in the show (Hitler managed to do that back then).

“Nazi club”? Not here, *wink, wink*.

The provocation at the end

No, what really upset Germany's and Austria's right-wing and right-wing extremists was the end of the program: the farewell.

After a parodic music video in which Böhmermann appeared (once again) as an Andreas Gabalier or John Otti cross-section, he first greeted his audience with a “Hello and Baba”. And finally said: "Dear 3sat viewers, please don't forget: Don't always bring out the Nazi club, but maybe just club a few Nazis."

This play on words, the climax of the rhetorical game about Nazi comparisons, must have been taken into account as a provocation - and it did not fail to have an effect. The right-wing populist internet portal “Nius” led by former “Bild” boss Julian Reichelt posted the “culling Nazis” excerpt on social networks and hyperventilated in its own article: “Böhmermann calls for the killing of AfD and FPÖ politicians.”

In the article, "Nius" quoted the veterinary Duden definition of the word "culling": "Killing farm animals in order to prevent or contain animal diseases." Jan Böhmermann countered on Oh right.

Enemy image maintenance and Kickl's reaction

Was Böhmermann talking about slaughter or masturbation? From Nazis or AfD politicians? Are any of these questions even relevant? As expected, in Austria they opted for the populist interpretation - simply because of the enemy image.

“Böhmermann calls for the killing of FPÖ politicians” says the headline on a Facebook post by Chancellor candidate Kickl. “Simply disgusting,” Kickl wrote in the accompanying text, which also mentions “Böhmermann’s ZDF fee, which is financed by the fee payers.”

Much else in this debate went as rehearsed: an AfD politician reported two death threats and placed them in the context of the program. A former FDP MP filed a criminal complaint. And Jan Böhmermann's fans congratulated the satirist on a rhetorical coup: It was brilliant that politicians from the FPÖ and AfD suddenly felt addressed when it was explicitly about "Nazis".

Brilliant or expected? In any case, one thing can be said: Another round in the game of provocation, reaction and counter-reaction has been completed. Until next time, dear 3sat viewers.

Feb