Scandal in Völkermarkt: When Governor Sima was pelted with eggs!

Scandal in Völkermarkt: When Governor Sima was pelted with eggs!

On October 4, 2025, a memorable event in Carinthia's history will be remembered that still resonates today. The former governor of Carinthia, Hans Sima, was pelted with tomatoes and eggs in Völkermarkt in 1972. Sad setting: during a visit, he and his wife were the target of a merciless attack. The gendarmerie seemed unwilling to protect him, much to the delight of some law enforcement officers who could only grin maliciously. This incident marked an important point in the “town sign storm,” which significantly affected Sima's political career, as the small newspaper reports.

The roots of the town sign storm extend back to the fall of 1972, when the conflict over the bilingual place name signs in Carinthia escalated. The Slovenian ethnic group demanded the implementation of Article 7.3 of the Austrian State Treaty, which provides for the admission of the Slovenian language as a second official language. Historians draw parallels to the “Night of Crystal Night” of 1938 and describe that the term “town sign storm” was coined almost exclusively by the media.

A look back at Hans Sima's political career

Hans Sima always campaigned for public relations work to introduce such place-name signs, which ultimately cost him the support of his own party. He resigned as governor in 1974, but his commitment did not go unnoticed. In 2000 he founded a private foundation to research contemporary Carinthian history and to promote the Alpine-Adriatic idea. An exhibition entitled “Hans Sima – a political life” is currently being presented in the Werner Berg Museum in Bleiburg. This can be visited until November 9th and highlights not only Sima's political career, but also his relationship with the artist Werner Berg.

The town sign tower in detail

The town sign storming began with tensions and smear campaigns that stretched back to 1970. Above all, it was a large number of aggressive actions that reached an initial climax in St. Kanzian on September 20th and 21st, 1972, followed by a main storm on October 9th, during which 200 vehicles were on the way to dismantle the newly erected bilingual signs. Just one day later, on the morning of October 10th, there were no longer any bilingual place-name signs in Carinthia. Clashes between communities were intense, and the media often reported a “Sima secret plan,” which only further inflamed the situation.

In response to the unrest, political efforts to pacify the conflict were finally launched. Historians argue that this was the only time a law was not implemented due to public pressure. It remains unclear whether there was a main organizer behind the disturbances, but the Carinthian Homeland Service is identified as a group involved in the actions.

A further look into today shows the challenges that the Slovenian ethnic group must continue to overcome. Valentin Inzko, chairman of the Council of Carinthian Slovenes, expressed pessimism about the current situation and criticized broken promises to his ethnic group. Manuel Jug, new chairman of the central association, emphasized the importance of making the best of the present. Their commitment shows that the topic of bilingual place-name signs is still not a closed chapter today.

Carinthia's complex and often painful past is a topic that is not only viewed historically, but is also always present in current discussions. While the exhibition in Bleiburg honors the legacy of Hans Sima, the question of a fair and respectful future for the various ethnic groups in the country remains exciting and necessary.