Griess' Complaint against the Austrian Broadcasting Network (ORF)

In a letter to the responsible editor of the "Vera-programme" on Oct. 23, 1996, he considers it to be "outrageous" and complains angrily about the fact that this affair (namely, his daughter's statement about incest within her own family). "Now, after 20 years, is being dragged into the public eye." His daughter's horrible and traumatic experiences which, because of her difficult psychological problems, had made it necessary for her to put up with years of medical and psychiatric care. He plays down these things as having been "adolescent stupidity", which he "of course, does not tolerate", etc.

A further Griess original sound track-statement: "If cases , such as mine . . . has been accused of, are dealt with in court, then the public is normally kept away. It would be, likewise, fitting for the ABN to uphold this practice, and to respect my family's private sphere."

A further quote in this letter expresses clearly Mr. Griess' low regard and distain for the Austrian Broadcasting Network, as well as for his own daughter: "You (here he means the responsible editor) don't really believe in all seriousness that my daughter has not been briefed exactly by the "Norwegian-Movement" about what she was to say in the programme." As has already been mentioned, Wiltrud Griess had already turned to a few trusted people of the "Norwegians". She sought help and advice, both in our fellowship, as well as, from therapists, psychiatrists, and medical specialists outside of our group. Mr. Griess not only gives a decidedly unfavourable opinion about the ability of the responsible editor, but also that of his daughter, to be able to think and to answer independently, and to pose critical questions.

Of course , neither the speaker for the "Norwegians", nor Wiltrud Griess knew what kind of questions the woman moderator, Vera Russwurm, would pose to them. In his presumption, Mr. Griess even goes so far as to tell the editor of the ABN exactly which "two questions" he should pose "to his daughter in the programme" and he writes verbatim: "If the ABN (ORF) is not in agreement with this procedure, then they prove that they are not interested in factual information, but that they are only interested in pleasing a sensation-seeking public."

Here the question arises : Who wants to make up who's mind for whom, and make rules about what should be asked in a programme, or what is allowed to be said?!

A further comment made by Griess in this letter of complaint to the ABN (ORF) is very revealing:

"If you, in view of the circumstances. . . do not wish to show any further programmes, then that will be all-right with me. My wife, my sons and I are well enough known, in wide circles within Austria, as being respectable people, so that we have no need of being publically vindicated. But it is sad, indeed, that, thereby, an opportunity will be missed out on, to warn other people of the dangers that are associated with coming into contact with the "Norwegian-Movement", and other such groups."

Consider the following: Whereas we "Norwegians", because of the outrageous and totally fictitious accusations of Mr. Griess in the "Vera-programme" on Oct. 9, 1996, at once demanded a counter-presentation, and would immediately have taken legal preceedings against the ABN if they had refused our request, in order to "enforce" that very counter-presentation, Mr. Griess here declares in black and white that "he is not in need of a public vindication ", indeed it would be all-right for him if "no further programme follows".

This reply of Mr. Griess' to the ABN (ORF) is from Oct. 23, 1996. But shortly before that, however, in one of his usual inflammatory circulars he stated the exact opposite:

"My daughter Wiltrud's outrageous statement that she was rendered psychologically unwell by incestuous experiences in her family, which apparently intended to infer to the public that I as her father had indecently molested her, will still have its legal repercussions. I have also demanded that the ABN give me the opportunity for a counter-presentation. Unfortunately, until now, it has been without success. The core of the truth in this statement is that there were "little adolescent amusements" which, of course, we as parents, immediately put an end to after hearing about it."

Just these two contradictory statements of Mr. Griess, which were given shortly after one another, give a profound insight into his "love of the truth", and into his way of thinking, as well as into the methods he uses in "fighting" the "Norwegians".