Untersberg, Germany – One of Germany’s top nationalists tragically fell to his death while climbing the Untersberg Mountain which straddles the border between Germany and Austria.
English-language media outlets were quick to gloat over his death with the New York Post declaring that “it was a view to die for.”
37-year-old Andreas Münzhuber—the treasurer of the Bavarian faction of The Third Way—was part of a 30-person climbing group on September 29th when he slipped on a wet root and plummeted 196 feet down rocky terrain.
Despite quick efforts by his companions and other climbers to call emergency services, Münzhuber was pronounced dead at the scene. A rescue helicopter was dispatched, and a medical doctor was lowered to the site, but it was too late to save him.
Münzhuber left behind his wife along with their baby daughter, who had been born just months earlier in June. His death sparked an outpouring of support from nationalist groups, with online fundraising efforts aimed at supporting his family and erecting a memorial stone at the site of his fall.
A Gofundme—since deleted—was set up by Münzhuber’s best friend to raise money for his wife and daughter. The description read “on that day we not only lost a loyal friend, a brother, an upright and generous person, but above all a young father who is now denied the opportunity to see his wonderful daughter grow up.”
“I ask you to help us support a little girl who will never know her father and support his wife to be strong for their daughter.”
English-based media outlets were quick to pick up on the story to gloat over Münzhuber’s tragic death. These outlets noted that Untersberg, where the incident occurred, is famously known as a favorite spot of former German leader Adolf Hitler—who built his renowned Eagle’s Nest retreat on the opposite mountainside of Obersalzberg.
The New York Post posted the most inflammatory version of the story, injecting that “it was a view to die for” and that “the site has since become an attraction for tyrants to visit.”
The negative framing of the story led to numerous hate comments in the New York Post and the Daily Mail comment sections by their conservative audiences.
“He went to see fall foliage, but mostly just saw the fall.” read one comment by Arthur B on the New York Post with 68 upvotes. “It’s good to have some heart-warming news during these bleak days” read another comment by Dick Deluge on the Daily Mail which received 202 upvotes.
The Third Way is one of several nationalist organizations in Germany. It was formed in 2013 as a splinter group from the National Democratic Party, now called the Homeland.
The Third Way has been criticized in nationalist circles for its support of Ukraine in its war against Russia, which many have labeled a proxy conflict driven by the United States and NATO.
Support for Ukraine has declined in Germany over the past two years, with 59% of Germans now wanting Chancellor Scholz to renew talks with Russian President Putin on ending the war in Ukraine.
In recent months, both the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Sahra Wagenknecht’s left nationalist party have seen electoral success due to their opposition to continued support for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and mass immigration.
Nationalists in Germany often face intense scrutiny from the German media and government for opposing the status quo on policies such as mass immigration.
Over the summer, a viral video of Germans singing nationalist lyrics to a Eurodance song triggered a witch hunt across Germany.
One of Germany’s leading nationalist media outlets—Compact—also had its offices raided and was temporarily banned during the summer as well. A German court suspended the government’s ban on Compact one month later.
Header image: Left: Andreas Münzhuber (spendenseite.de). Right: First responders at the scene (Markus Leitner/Berchtesgadener/Land Bavarian Red Cross)
This article originally appeared on the Justice Report and is republished by The Noticer with permission.
