This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6753069.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Former UN head Kurt Waldheim dies | Former UN head Kurt Waldheim dies |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The former United Nations Secretary General Kurt Josef Waldheim has died aged 88, Austrian media has reported. | The former United Nations Secretary General Kurt Josef Waldheim has died aged 88, Austrian media has reported. |
| The career of Mr Waldheim, who headed the UN from 1972 to 1982, was overshadowed by a scandal about his secretive World War II service. | The career of Mr Waldheim, who headed the UN from 1972 to 1982, was overshadowed by a scandal about his secretive World War II service. |
| Despite allegations he belonged to a German army unit that committed atrocities in the Balkans, he was elected Austria's president in 1986. | Despite allegations he belonged to a German army unit that committed atrocities in the Balkans, he was elected Austria's president in 1986. |
| Admitted to hospital in Vienna last month, he died of heart failure. | Admitted to hospital in Vienna last month, he died of heart failure. |
| Initial denial | Initial denial |
| The allegations arose in 1986, shortly after his nomination for the role of Austrian president. | The allegations arose in 1986, shortly after his nomination for the role of Austrian president. |
| Day after day, I have been relentlessly pursued over events which happened 40 or more years ago Kurt Waldheim, in 1988 href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6753415.stm">Waldheim's life in pictures class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/3486823.stm">Obituary: Kurt Waldheim Send us your comments | |
| The World Jewish Congress claimed he had been an officer attached to a German Army command which sent more than 42,000 Greek Jews from Salonika to their deaths, and was responsible for the massacre of thousands of Yugoslavs in the Kozara mountains. | The World Jewish Congress claimed he had been an officer attached to a German Army command which sent more than 42,000 Greek Jews from Salonika to their deaths, and was responsible for the massacre of thousands of Yugoslavs in the Kozara mountains. |
| Mr Waldheim's initial denial of the allegations - followed by his subsequent assertion that he was only doing his duty - caused international outrage. | Mr Waldheim's initial denial of the allegations - followed by his subsequent assertion that he was only doing his duty - caused international outrage. |
| "Day after day, I have been relentlessly pursued over events which happened 40 or more years ago," he said during an interview in 1988. | "Day after day, I have been relentlessly pursued over events which happened 40 or more years ago," he said during an interview in 1988. |
| "My enemies kept bringing up new charges against me and promising new evidence. But this evidence never appeared." | "My enemies kept bringing up new charges against me and promising new evidence. But this evidence never appeared." |
| Murder plot | Murder plot |
| Many Austrians did not believe the accusations against the man they elected president. | Many Austrians did not believe the accusations against the man they elected president. |
| But they sparked international censure. The US, for example, banned him from visiting the country. | But they sparked international censure. The US, for example, banned him from visiting the country. |
| Later, Mr Waldheim said that the scandal surrounding his presidency forced Austrians to admit that they were not all passive victims of Nazi Germany. | Later, Mr Waldheim said that the scandal surrounding his presidency forced Austrians to admit that they were not all passive victims of Nazi Germany. |
| During his time as UN Secretary General, Mr Waldheim flew to Iran in a vain attempt to negotiate the release of the US hostages held in Tehran. But Ayatollah Khomeini refused to see him. | During his time as UN Secretary General, Mr Waldheim flew to Iran in a vain attempt to negotiate the release of the US hostages held in Tehran. But Ayatollah Khomeini refused to see him. |
| While in Tehran, it was announced that a plot to kill Mr Waldheim had been foiled. | While in Tehran, it was announced that a plot to kill Mr Waldheim had been foiled. |