A 23-year-old man has been fined for stealing information leaflets and brochures from the parish church of Zum Heiligsten Erlöser. During the trial, the defendant openly expressed hostility towards church institutions.
The defendant took informational material from publicly accessible areas of the church on 18 and 23 June 2025. The court confirmed his guilt for theft, originally fined at €1,000, but reduced the total to €400. The case drew attention not only because of the theft itself but also due to the defendant’s statements indicating deliberate ideological hostility towards churches. In his own words, he accused the Church of ‘lies of religion’ and warned against ‘pious seduction.’
Source: traunsteiner