“Childhood Sin” – when Babler wanted to light school crosses

Only in his mid-twenties, Babler is at the beginning of his political career as Secretary of State for Socialist Youth. Since the Juso in the former SJ member newspaper “direct”, it has been causing a stir in the state of Lower Austria.

“Spicy Krenn”
In the article titled “Scharfer Krenn” (an allusion to years later, after a sexual affair in the seminary, the Bishop of St. Pölten was forced to abdicate by the Pope), young Babler attacks the Catholic Church in the strongest possible terms.

Under the motto “cross with the church”, the young SPÖ municipal councilor from Traiskirchen also criticizes “the public call for violence, namely nailing people to wood”. To attack the crucifixes in schools or call for their burning; “If it bothers you, take it off! Use gloves – risk of infection. Don’t burn in class – bad air, potentially toxic gases.”

Reactions within his own party were no less violent. Criticism came, among others, from his predecessor Fritz Knotzer, mayor of Traiskirchen for thirty years: “I distance myself from it.”

“Word formulations not at their best”
Andreas Kollross, Babler’s former boss as SJ state chairman, was also quoted as saying, “Some wording is definitely not the best.” The “crown” reached today’s member of the National Council on the phone. But he only vaguely recalls Babler’s “sinful youth”: “As far as I know, he apologized at the time.”

Political observers assume that more “Babler leaks” from an alleged secret file on the new SPÖ boss will follow. Because as the saying goes: enemy, mortal enemy, party friend.