Exile, flight, expulsion
The „Ari Rath Prize for Critical Journalism“ was established on the basis of a private initiative to honour journalists who have made outstanding contributions to critical reporting on flight, expulsion and asylum that is committed to upholding human rights, in the spirit of the renowned former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, who died in January 2017.
A jury of experts, chaired by Gertraud Auer Borea d’Olmo – the long-serving former Secretary-General of the Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue and a close confidante of Ari Rath – unanimously Renata Schmidtkunz and Hans Rauscher nominated for the 2026 „Ari Rath Prize for Critical Journalism“.
Greeting: Sabine Kroissenbrunner, Secretary General of the Kreisky Forum
Statement by the jury and laudator: Alexandra Föderl-Schmid, Journalist
Introducer: Heide Schmidt, politician and lawyer, former Third President of the National Council
Prize winner Renata Schmidtkunz, Journalist, presenter, editor and filmmaker
Laudator Ferdinand Lacina, politician, former Federal Minister of Finance of the Republic of Austria
Award winner: Hans Rauscher, journalist and author, columnist for DER STANDARD
Renata Schmidtkunz, Born in 1964 in Hattingen an der Ruhr (FRG), she moved to Austria with her parents and siblings at the age of five. She grew up in a Protestant vicarage in Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Carinthia. After completing her school-leaving qualifications, she studied Protestant theology in Vienna and Montpellier (France).
In 1989, she began working for Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich in the “Church & World” department. It was during this time that her interest in the connection between media and theology, which continues to this day, first developed. Together with the Catholic journalist Dr Peter Pawlowsky, Schmidtkunz established the “Religion” department at ORF television from 1990 onwards, modelled on the methods of high-calibre journalism. Working with the team, she developed new formats, such as the programmes “Kreuz & Quer”, “Die Box”, “Was glaubst du?”, “Religionen der Welt” and many more. Between 1992 and 2012, over 40 documentaries and television features were produced on the topics of history, religion and ethics.
In 2011, her documentary, *Das Weiterleben der Ruth Klüger*, premiered at the VIENNALE. From 2008 to 2012, Renata Schmidtkunz presented the ORF current affairs programme *Club 2*.
Between 1990 and 2012, Renata Schmidtkunz also worked for the ORF/3sat editorial team and, from 1995, for Ö1 as well. There, she presented the programme “Standpunkte”; from 2003 to 2013, she presented “Radiokolleg”; and from 1999, under the direction of Peter Huemer and later Michael Kerbler, she presented the programme “Im Gespräch”. From 2013 until the end of 2025, she was the programme’s director and lead presenter. Her guests included both famous and lesser-known figures such as the actor Sir Peter Ustinov, the US-American civil rights activist Angela Davis, the writer Umberto Eco, the Carinthian mountain farmer Lisl Wirnsberger, the Nobel Prize winner Hertha Müller, the actor John Malkovich and the Berlin loft bed builder Hans-Jörg Görs, to name but a few, were her guests.
Her involvement in civil society outside the ORF ranges from serving on the board of the Vienna Jewish Film Festival (2010 to 2025), to being a co-initiator of the “Austrian Welfare State” referendum (2001/2002), to serving as a board member of the “Fondation pour l’aide au protestantisme réformé” within the World Council of Churches in Geneva, as well as giving talks for NGOs, church congregations, trade unions, schools and cultural institutions.
To this day, she remains interested in issues relating to theology, philosophy, politics, society and peace, as well as matters of human rights and international law.
Hans Rauscher, born on 11 December 1944 in Vienna, studied journalism and history at the University of Vienna after completing his Matura in 1963. He began his career in journalism in 1965 as a contributor to the magazine *Der Österreichische Volkswirt*. In 1970, Rauscher joined the editorial team of the newly founded business magazine "Trend", which Oscar Bronner and Jens Tschebull deliberately positioned in contrast to the business journalism of the time, which had traditionally been structurally aligned with those in power. Almost immediately upon joining, Rauscher wrote a critical article about Schoellerbank, which promptly brought the magazine into conflict with the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. In 1974–1975, he worked on the editorial board of the business magazine "Ecco", which was absorbed into the news magazine "Profil" in 1975.
The journalist then moved to the *Kurier*. He wrote columns and editorials and was editor of the *Sonntagskurier* from 1977 to 1980. In 1980, he became deputy editor-in-chief and head of the domestic politics desk; from 1992 to 1996, he was editor-in-chief of the "Kurier". He also wrote guest commentaries for *Profil* and *Wirtschaftswoche/Wochenpresse* in the 1980s.
In 1997, Rauscher joined the daily newspaper *Der Standard* and the weekly magazine *Format* (which merged with *Trend* in 2016) as a columnist. Rauscher’s areas of focus include, amongst other things, right-wing populism and right-wing extremism, his commitment to liberal democracy, issues relating to immigration and integration, and contemporary European history.
Rauscher sees himself "as a member of civil society who, in a country characterised by strong authoritarian thinking, is trying to ensure that this authoritarian thinking does not gain the upper hand." To this end, Rauscher is increasingly turning to the so-called new media and, consequently, advocates free access to the online edition of *Der Standard*, as this would enable the paper to reach a new audience. From time to time, he personally invites academics, artists and opinion leaders – such as Manfried Rauchensteiner, André Heller and Hugo Portisch – to appear on camera for his video blog "RAU-TV", which is published on the "Standard" website. As an expert, Rauscher is also a frequent guest at discussion events.
As well as his work as a journalist, Hans Rauscher publishes monographs on contemporary history. In his most recent book, *What Must Be Said, But Must Not Be Said*, he addresses topics such as the refugee debate, populism and the role of journalism.
From time to time, Rauscher also writes literary works, including a couplet for the production of Nestroy’s *Zu ebener Erde und erster Stock* at the Vienna Volkstheater (2015).
Members of the jury:
Gertraud Borea d'Olmo, Member of the Board, Bruno Kreisky Forum, Legatee of Ari Rath
Alexandra Föderl-Schmid, Süddeutsche Newspaper
Fritz Hausjell, Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies; Reporters Without Borders
Oliver Rathkolb, Professor emeritus at the Institute of Contemporary History
WELCOME:
Mayor Dr Michael Ludwig
Former Governor, University Professor. Dr Ewald Nowotny, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bruno Kreisky Foundation for Services to Human Rights
GUEST LECTURE:
Attacks on the independent judiciary, academia and the media
Professor Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, PhD, legal scholar, University of Potsdam
AWARD CEREMONIES:
Presentation of the Bruno Kreisky Prize to:
Youth Initiative for Human Rights - Kosovo
Laudatio: Marijana Grandits, human rights expert
Presentation of the Bruno Kreisky Prize to:
Mag. Martin Schenk
Laudatio: Dr Harald Katzmair, sociologist and philosopher
Presentation of the Bruno Kreisky Prize to:
Dr Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – Award presented in absentia
PRESENTATION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CLOSING REMARKS:
Professor Emeritus DDr Oliver Rathkolb, Member of the Executive Board, Bruno Kreisky Foundation for Human Rights
Subsequent reception
For security reasons, admission to the event is granted only upon by registering personally via email at office@kreisky-menschenrechte.org providing the following details: first name, surname, address and mobile phone number by 15 October 2026 at the latest, and presenting an official form of identification (passport, identity card, driving licence) for identification purposes.
Admission is only possible until 18:15.
2026 AWARD WINNERS
Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo
The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) was founded in 2003 as an NGO and has developed into a regional network covering Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. YIHR Kosovo (YIHR KS) has been in existence since 2004 and has been working for two decades to protect and promote human rights and democratic values in Kosovo and across the region. Over the years, YIHR KS has successfully engaged thousands of young people, established lasting cross-border partnerships and received national and international recognition for its contributions to human rights and peace-building. Its key areas of focus are dealing with the past, protecting human rights and the rule of law, and empowering young people at local and regional levels. YIHR KS’s mission is to inspire young people to document human rights violations, take preventive action, promote their inclusion and build partnerships to amplify voices and foster peace. The Executive Director is Marigona Shabiu, who has extensive experience in civil society and relevant academic qualifications.
Mag. Martin Schenk
Martin Schenk is a social psychologist who has worked for Diakonie for many years and previously worked in youth services as well as with people with disabilities, the homeless and those suffering from severe trauma. As a social expert, he has been committed for decades to the common good, justice and harmonious social coexistence, and in the mid-1990s he co-founded the Poverty Conference, in whose coordination team he continues to serve to this day. He is a networker and the initiator of, amongst others, „Hunger for Art and Culture“, „Hemayat“, the „Journalism Prize for the Marginalised“, the „Social Rights Network“ and the „Mitgehen“ project. Using academic evidence and the experiences of those affected, he combats myths and stigmatisation, raising public awareness and seeking solutions. He writes regularly for the street newspaper *Augustin* and teaches at the Vienna University of Applied Sciences for Social Work. His book *Brot und Rosen* (Bread and Roses) emphasises both material and non-material foundations of life. He has also co-initiated relevant studies and has been a member of the Human Rights Advisory Board since 2000.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr Volker Türk
Dr Türk took up his post as the eighth United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva in October 2022.Prior to this, Dr Türk served as Under-Secretary-General for Policy (2021–2022) and Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York (2019–2021). In this role, he coordinated system-wide strategic initiatives and policy issues, including the Secretary-General’s report „Our Common Agenda“ – a vision for strengthening multilateralism that served as the basis for the Future Summit and the Future Pact. As Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees for Protection at UNHCR in Geneva (2015–2019), Dr Türk played a key role, amongst other things, in the development of the Global Compact on Refugees. Prior to that, Dr Türk held key positions with the UNHCR in Geneva as well as in various countries, including Malaysia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kuwait.Dr Türk obtained his PhD in international law from the University of Vienna and has published numerous academic papers on international refugee law and international human rights issues.
Narratives centred on strength, discipline and self-optimisation are increasingly shaping digital spaces and appeal particularly to young men. Whilst this content often appears to be apolitical lifestyle advice, it is deliberately seized upon by extremist actors and linked to anti-feminist, authoritarian and anti-democratic ideologies. Extreme notions of masculinity serve as a framework for interpreting social uncertainties and as a starting point for radicalisation processes.
Based on the analyses by Julia Ebner in From fitness to fascism The event explores the interplay between gender stereotypes, the logic of digital platforms and extremist recruitment strategies. The focus is on how narratives of masculinity can contribute to the normalisation of extremist ideologies, what role social media plays in this, and what consequences this has for political education, prevention and democratic resilience.
Julia Ebner, Extremism researcher, author and consultant specialising in radicalisation, extremism and disinformation in the digital sphere. She conducts research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and at the University of Oxford, focusing in particular on how online communities, social media and algorithmic dynamics contribute to the spread of extremist ideologies.
Andreas Peham, A political scientist and researcher into right-wing extremism, specialising in right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories. He is a researcher at the Documentation Centre of the Austrian Resistance (DÖW) and regularly publishes and lectures on manifestations of the far right, ideological continuities and current processes of radicalisation.
Moderation
Tessa Szyszkowitz, journalist, author and historian; she is a Distinguished Fellow at the British defence think tank, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, and curator of the Kreisky Forum.
The mid-term elections will be a crucial test of the political and social divisions that have increasingly shaped the United States. One third of the Senate and all members of the House of Representatives will be elected, making control of Congress a decisive factor for the remainder of Donald Trump’s presidency.
If the Democrats succeed in winning control of Congress, Trump could effectively become a lame-duck president during the second half of his term. A Democratic majority could significantly restrict the administration’s ability to pass legislation, control government spending, and pursue some of its domestic priorities. At the same time, however, the administration has various tools at its disposal to influence the political environment, such as intimidation, political pressure, restrictive voting measures and aggressive rhetoric, which can affect voter turnout and citizens’ willingness to participate in the elections. Do such strategies primarily mobilise Trump’s supporters, or can they also discourage opposition voters from going to the polls?
Another important question is the role of foreign policy. Traditionally, US mid-term elections have been dominated by domestic issues such as the economy, immigration, healthcare and inflation. Yet conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, relations with China, NATO and the future of US support for Ukraine could increasingly influence voters and shape the broader political debate. This is particularly relevant for Europe, where the outcome of the elections could have significant consequences for transatlantic relations, European security and the future of NATO. What lessons can European democracies learn from the increasing polarisation of American politics, and how should Europe prepare for a potentially more unpredictable and confrontational United States?
Cas Mudde, Professor of International Affairs / Political Science, University of Georgia
Erin Kristin Jenne, Professor of International Relations, Central European University
Reinhard Heinisch, Professor of Political Science, University of Salzburg
Moderation
Raimund Löw, journalist, author and historian, head of Falter Radio
»*Education for Cruelty* is an important and unsettling book. It shows how cruelty is learned through politics – and how dangerous it is when a society begins to regard it as normal.« - Günter Kaindlstorfer, Deutschlandfunk
Robert Misik demonstrates »How words become weapons, outrage becomes hatred, and hatred becomes entertainment.« - Culture Time
»Insightful and well worth reading… brilliantly written.« – Süddeutsche Zeitung
In Brecht’s A man is a man In 1926, experiments were carried out to determine whether it was possible to mould people – along with their attitudes – at will. Within a week, the labourer Galy Gay was »re-engineered« into an unfeeling fighting machine for the British colonial army. Less than ten years later, exactly the same thing happened to an entire society in Nazi Germany.
As right-wing populism escalates into right-wing radicalism and ultimately into a new form of fascism, something very similar is unfolding before our very eyes. The incited individual does not just appear out of thin air. They are created. The agitation stokes anger and bitterness, seeks to transform its followers into utterly paranoid individuals, and fuels a cult of brutality and fantasies about all manner of cruelties one might inflict on others. These are formative years of inhumanity.
Robert Misik, Author and journalist
Ilkim Erdost, Head of the Education and Consumer Affairs Division, Vienna, at the Vienna Chamber of Real Estate Agents
Markus Brunner, Social psychologist and sociologist; academic director of the Master’s specialisation in “Social Psychology/Clinical Psychology” at Sigmund Freud Private University (SFU) in Vienna
Eva Zeglovits, Political scientist, social scientist and opinion pollster; Managing Director of the Institute for Empirical Social Research (IFES)
Moderation
Wolfgang Schröder, Professor at the University of Kassel, Director of the Progressive Centre (Berlin) and former State Secretary for Labour and Social Affairs in Brandenburg
Robert Misik:
Education in Cruelty
Suhrkamp Verlag, August 2026, €18.00
Persecuted Austrians and their contribution to the global history of the Austrian State Treaty.
Main Reading Room of the Association for the History of the Labour Movement (VGA), Vorwärtshaus, Rechte Wienzeile 97, 1050 Vienna
Programme
Thursday, 3 September 2026
18:30 Opening remarks by Prof. Michaela Maier (VGA), Prof. Werner Anzenberger (BSF, BSA) and Christian Cwik (KonaK)
18:45 – 19:45: Heinz Gärtner (International Institute for Peace): The Austrian Model: Bruno Kreisky’s Neutrality (Keynote)
20:15 – 20:45: Uwe Christian Plachetka (KonaK/ADHILAC/Abrasa): Introduction to the research project „The Contribution of Otto Heller and Bruno Kreisky“
Friday, 4 September 2026
09:15 – 10:15: Christian Cwik (University of Klagenfurt): Vienna as a centre of conflict and peace policy in the 20th century
10.15 – 10.30: Coffee break
10.30 – 11.15: Maria Mesner (University of Vienna): Remarks on Kreisky’s perspective on the State Treaty and neutrality
11.15 – 12.00: Wolfgang Maderthaner (Vienna): Bruno Kreisky and the Late Enlightenment Project (keynote)
12:00 – 13:30: Lunch break
13:30 – 14:30: Wolfgang Petritsch (Austrian Institute for International Affairs): Bruno Kreisky and the founding of the CSCE in the context of the North-South conflict (Keynote)
14:30 – 14:45: Coffee break
14:45 – 15:30: Monica Grin (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): The Austrian community in Rio de Janeiro and its struggle for Austrian independence (in Portuguese with German translation)
15:30 – 16:15: Marcelo Cheche Galves (University of Maranhão, Brazil): Getúlio Vargas (1951–1954) and the nation-state in Brazil
16:15 – 17:00: Romário Sampaio Basílio (University of Tocantina, Maranhão, Brazil): Brazilian Foreign Policy in Post-Colonial Globalisation: Authoritarianism and International Cooperation (1945–1985)
17:00 – 17:15: Coffee break
17:15 – 18:00: Uwe Christian Plachetka (KonaK/ADHILAC/Abrasa): The Secret History of the Austrian State Treaty
18:00 – 19:00: Sergio Guerra Vilaboy (Havana): Cuba’s role in the emergence of the Non-Aligned Movement in the 1950s (in Spanish with German translation)
19:00 – 19:30: Closing discussion and summary with Uwe Christian Plachetka, Heinz Gärtner and Werner Anzenberger.
Workshop participation fee: EUR 10.00
Due to limited space, we would ask you to register at office@konak-wien.org
About the venue: The entrance to the Vorwärtshaus (Rechte Wienzeile 97) is somewhat hidden due to ongoing underground construction work. The building can be accessed via a site gate from the Gerüstpassage on the Rechte Wienzeile.
Funded by the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for the Victims of National Socialism, the City of Vienna – MA 7 Science, and the Federation of Social Democratic Freedom Fighters.