SPÖ calls for a change in the law: Posthumous withdrawal of honors?

SPÖ calls for a change in the law: Posthumous withdrawal of honors?

The SPÖ Carinthia has called for a fundamental change to the Carinthian state awards law. This measure was initiated due to serious allegations against the founder of SOS Children's Villages, Hermann Gmeiner. Gmeiner, who was awarded the Grand Gold Medal of Honor of the State of Carinthia in 1984, has recently been exposed to serious allegations of abuse. These allegations concern physical and sexual abuse of children from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Against the background of these allegations, Member of the State Parliament Fellner emphasized that his goal is to modernize the legal framework so that abuse or violence by people who have received state honors should also have a posthumous impact on their awards. Currently, revocation is only possible for living people and a legally binding conviction. However, there are exceptions in cases with a National Socialist background.

Incidents and need for reform

The allegations against Hermann Gmeiner were discovered as part of victim protection proceedings between 2013 and 2023, but were only made public recently. On October 23, 2025, the international supervisory board of SOS Children's Villages decided to temporarily suspend the regional association SOS Children's Villages Austria in order to investigate the allegations. These measures are part of a broader commitment to addressing the past and protecting children, which is the organization's top priority. Gmeiner's serious allegations and the corresponding incidents have been officially recognized and partially compensated, but the public has not yet been informed.

Fellner pointed out that there should be no prejudgment, but clear signals about the values ​​of state awards are necessary. The SPÖ Carinthia and Fellner are currently examining the legal implementation of a legal amendment in the next draft law in order to be able to respond appropriately to the new findings.

Impact on institutional child protection

The current allegations of abuse also raise questions about the role and responsibility of institutions. The protection and well-being of children is and remains of utmost importance in the children's villages, as the organization emphasizes. The suspension of the state association represents a first major test for the newly implemented management and control structure since July 2025.

These developments require a rapid response and the legislative adjustments are intended to ensure that such problems can be better addressed in the future. Society's responsibility for child protection remains a central issue that will continue to be discussed, especially in the context of the reform-oriented decisions that the SPÖ Carinthia is striving for.

Further information on the allegations and institutional child protection can be found at SOS Children's Villages be read. Additional information is also available WordHippo available.