J's Cafe Nette

Former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim has died at the age of 88.

For those of you who don’t remember the tall Austrian, it was found out after he left the UN he was collaborating with the Nazis in World War II and was subsequently banned from entering the U.S.

After leaving the UN he was elected president of Austria.

Waldheim, who served as U.N. chief from 1972-81, was first confronted with purported evidence of his personal implication in wartime atrocities when he ran for the Austrian presidency in 1986. He consistently denied any wrongdoing, defending himself against disclosures made by his main accuser, the World Jewish Congress, and by foreign media.

But his initial denial of serving in the German army unit—and then assertions that he and fellow Austrians were only doing their duty—led to international censure and a decision by Washington to place him on a “watch list” of persons prohibited from visiting the United States. That ban was never lifted.

Waldheim’s ascendancy to the presidency led to a bruising controversy at home, and it damaged Austria’s reputation abroad. During his tenure from 1986-92, Austria was largely shunned by foreign leaders, and he never honored his pledge to be a strong president.

The current president of Austria, Heinz Fischer, declared “We have lost a great Austrian.”

I fail to see the greatness of someone who participated in Nazi atrocities.

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