{{short description|Austrian traditionalist Catholic activist (born 1993)}} {{Infobox person | name = Alexander Tschugguel | birth_name = | image = | image_size = | caption = Alexander Tschugguel in 2019 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1993|6|24}} | birth_place = Vienna, Austria | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | known_for = | occupation = Activist | relatives = | parents = Walter Tschugguel | spouse = | children = }} '''Alexander Tschugguel''' (born 24 June 1993) is an Austrian traditionalist Catholic activist who was a founding member of The Reform Conservatives, a defunct Austrian conservative political party that set out to abolish the European Parliament.
Tschugguel received international attention in 2019 for stealing statuettes of the indigenous American goddess Pachamama, displayed in the basilica of St. Peter in Rome during the Amazon synod, and throwing them into the Tiber.
== Biography == Alexander's father, Dr. Walter Tschugguel, works as a physician in Vienna.<ref name= coronavirus>{{Cite web|url=https://taylormarshall.com/2020/03/387-corona-virus-recovered-alexander-tschugguel-talks-dr-taylor-marshall-podcast.html|title=387: He Had Corona Virus and Recovered: Alexander Tschugguel talks to Dr. Taylor Marshall [Podcast]|last=K|first=Daniel|date=27 March 2020|website=taylormarsall.com|access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref>
Tschugguel left the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria, and converted to Catholicism at fifteen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecathwalk.de/2019/11/04/pachamama-held-tschugguel-im-interview-ich-gehe-nur-noch-zur-alten-messe/|title=Pachamama-Held Tschugguel im Interview: "Ich gehe nur noch zur Alten Messe"|date=November 4, 2019}}</ref> He is a member of the traditionalist Catholic movement.<ref name= gloria/>
Tschugguel was married in 2019 in a wedding officiated by Bishop Athanasius Schneider.<ref name= gloria>{{cite web|url=https://gloria.tv/post/HBx8ZTtDveeG4twfd4skjeuNM |title=Who Is Pachamama-Killer Alexander Tschugguel? – |publisher=Gloria.tv |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>
== Activism and views == {{Conservatism in Austria|Activists}} Tschugguel joined the anti-Communist traditionalist Catholic network Tradition, Family, and Property in 2009. He has worked with far right politicians Ewald Stadler (formerly of the Freedom Party of Austria,<ref>{{citation |title=Keine Konkurrenzpartei geplant |date=7 March 2007 |publisher=Österreichischer Rundfunk |url=https://newsv1.orf.at/070307-9927/?href=https://newsv1.orf.at/070307-9927/9928txt_story.html}}</ref> later legal counsel for Pegida<ref>{{citation |last=Leitner |first=Dominik |title=fischundfleisch nimmt Stellung zur Kritik über Stadler-Pegida-Bericht |date=17 February 2015 |url=https://www.fischundfleisch.com/fischundfleisch/fischundfleisch-nimmt-stellung-zur-kritik-ueber-stadler-pegida-bericht-3159}}</ref>) and Beatrix von Storch (Alternative for Germany), as well as the Catholic activist Hedwig von Beverfoerde (formerly of CDU), in opposing abortion, same-sex marriage in Austria and Germany, and the inclusion of gender studies and sex education in schools in Germany and Austria.<ref name= gloria/>
Tschugguel is an anti-immigration activist who declares particular concern with the influx of Muslim refugees into Austria and Germany. He describes his political stance as patriotic and monarchist.<ref name= shoebat>{{Cite web|url=http://shoebat.com/2019/11/10/forget-about-pachamama-the-guy-who-threw-the-idol-into-the-tiber-has-directly-worked-with-major-national-socialist-supporters-ultra-nationalist-political-parties-who-are-trying-to-revive-the-reich/|title=Forget About Pachamama, The Guy Who Threw The Idol Into The Tiber Has Directly Worked With Germanic Nationalists In Europe|date=November 10, 2019}}</ref> He acts as a spokesperson for the Young European Student Initiative, a conservative Christian association originating from the Paneuropean Union.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://neuwal.com/2013/12/23/ewald-stadler-stellt-neue-partei-vor-die-reformkonservativen-rekos/|title=Ewald Stadler stellt neue Partei vor: Die Reformkonservativen (REKOS) | neuwal.com | Alexander Tschugguel, Christen, CPÖ, Die Reformkonservativen, Ewald Stadler, JES, Partei, Reformkonservative, REKOS, Rudolf Gehring|date=December 23, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-date=November 10, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191110001741/https://neuwal.com/2013/12/23/ewald-stadler-stellt-neue-partei-vor-die-reformkonservativen-rekos/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2013, he assisted Ewald Stadler with the founding of The Reform Conservatives, a short-lived Austrian conservative political party that aspired to reverse the Maastricht Treaty and abolish the European Parliament.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://neuwal.com/2013/12/23/ewald-stadler-stellt-neue-partei-vor-die-reformkonservativen-rekos/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191110001741/https://neuwal.com/2013/12/23/ewald-stadler-stellt-neue-partei-vor-die-reformkonservativen-rekos/|archive-date=10 November 2019|url-status=dead|title=Ewald Stadler stellt neue Partei vor: Die Reformkonservativen (REKOS) | neuwal.com | Alexander Tschugguel, Christen, CPÖ, Die Reformkonservativen, Ewald Stadler, JES, Partei, Reformkonservative, REKOS, Rudolf Gehring|date=December 23, 2013|access-date=28 January 2020}}</ref><ref name= shoebat/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diepresse.com/1511372/stadler-kandidat-arbeitete-fur-stronach-klub|title=Stadler-Kandidat arbeitete für Stronach-Klub|date=December 27, 2013|website=Die Presse}}</ref>
In 2014, Tschugguel co-organized a bus tour in Germany with von Beverfoerde to campaign against same-sex marriage. In 2018 and 2019, he was the co-organizer of the Vienna March for Life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ethikapolitika.org//2019/11/27/save-the-church-in-europe|title=Alexander Tschugguel's Bid to Save the Church in Europe|website=ethikapolitika.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/panorama/Ein-Mann-stiehlt-Figuren-aus-einer-Kirche-und-wird-dafuer-gefeiert-id55895706.html|title=Ein Mann stiehlt Figuren aus einer Kirche - und wird dafür gefeiert|first=Julius|last=Müller-Meiningen|website=Augsburger Allgemeine}}</ref> In May 2019, he organized ''Rosary for Austria'', a Latin Mass and prayer event at the Karlskirche.<ref name= gloria/>
On 21 October 2019, Tschugguel and an accomplice stole five statues, reportedly of the Inca fertility goddess Pachamama, from the Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina, and threw them from the Ponte Sant'Angelo into the Tiber.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.die-tagespost.de/kirche-aktuell/aktuell/Aktivist-Tschugguel-Bin-auf-alles-gefasst;art4874,202822|title=Die Tagespost|date=November 7, 2019|website=die-tagespost.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/10/how-qanon-and-trumpism-have-infected-the-catholic-church|title=How QAnon and Trumpism Have Revealed a Deep Church Schism Among Catholics|first=Kathryn|last=Joyce|magazine=Vanity Fair}}</ref> The statues were on display as part of the Amazon Synod taking place in the Vatican.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gloria.tv/post/2Ue21jn823sF1dvZwgx2xgXdU |title=Hero Explains to Gloria.tv How He Removed Pachamamas – |date=4 November 2019 |publisher=Gloria.tv |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> He came forward on 4 November 2019 in a YouTube video.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/11/04/austrian-man-claims-he-threw-pachamama-statues-into-the-tiber/|title=Austrian man claims he threw "Pachamama" statues into the Tiber|date=November 4, 2019|website=Catholic Herald|access-date=December 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221053424/https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/11/04/austrian-man-claims-he-threw-pachamama-statues-into-the-tiber/|archive-date=December 21, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Edward Pentin |url=http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/austrian-catholic-why-i-threw-pachamama-statues-into-the-tiber |title=Austrian Catholic: Why I Threw Pachamama Statues into the Tiber |publisher=Ncregister.com |date=2019-11-04 |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> Tschugguel, who had removed the statues believing them to be a violation of the First Commandment, received support from various high-ranking church officials after the incident, including Bishop Anthanasius Schneider, Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, and Cardinal Walter Brandmüller.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://insidethevatican.com/news/newsflash/letter-60-2019-vigano-he-is-a-hero/|title=Letter #60, 2019: Viganò: "He is a hero"|date=November 5, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Ross Douthat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/09/opinion/sunday/conservative-catholic.html |title=Opinion | What Will Happen to Conservative Catholicism? - The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=9 November 2019 |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref> Tschugguel's actions were criticized by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Archbishop of Vienna, who called the act "scandalous and outrageous".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://religion.orf.at/stories/2993896/|title=Österreicher stahl Indigenenstatue aus Kirche in Rom|date=November 4, 2019|website=religion.ORF.at}}</ref> Since coming forward, Tschugguel went on a speaking tour in the United States organized by ''LifeSite News'', the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, and Taylor Marshall.<ref name= crux>{{cite web|author=Christopher White |url=https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/11/controversial-pachamama-thief-goes-on-u-s-tour/ |title=Controversial "Pachamama thief" goes on U.S. tour |publisher=Cruxnow.com |date=2019-11-19 |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>
In 2019, Tschugguel founded St. Boniface Institute, a traditionalist Catholic organisation, with the stated goal of fighting paganism and globalism within the church, and to "rally those who do not want to bow down to 'Mother Earth'".<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Mission |url=https://www.boniface-institute.com/our-mission/ |website=St. Boniface Institute |date=4 November 2019 |access-date=21 December 2019}}</ref> Saint Boniface is invoked as an anti-environmentalist figure who cuts down the Donar's Oak to build a church.<ref>{{cite book |translator-last=Robinson |translator-first=George W. |title=The Life of Saint Boniface by Willibald |date=1916 |publisher=Harvard University Press |location=Cambridge, MA |pages=62–64}}</ref> The institute aims to connect traditionalist Catholic communities in Europe.<ref name= coronavirus/>
In a public address in 2019, Tschugguel alleged that the United Nations and the European Union overstated climate change, and branded it an item of the communist agenda. He praised Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and attacked Pope Francis over his concern with the Amazon.<ref name= crux/>
In December 2019, Tschugguel organized a prayer protest outside of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna against the hosting of the Life Ball, an LGBTQ-friendly annual charity event to raise money for HIV and AIDS awareness, by the cathedral. He received support from the excommunicated Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò.<ref>{{cite web|last=Edward |first=Kevin |url=https://catholiccitizens.org/issues/idolatry/89991/message-from-h-ex-archbishop-vigano/ |title=Message from His Excellency Archbishop Viganò to Alexander Tschugguel |publisher=CatholicCitizens.org |date=2013-07-18 |access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref><ref>"Vatican Envoy Who Invited Kim Davis to Papal Meeting Retires". ''The New York Times''. Associated Press. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.</ref>
On 18 January 2020, Tschugguel protested alongside Hedwig von Beverfoerde, Viganò, Roberto de Mattei, and Gabriele Kuby in Munich, demanding "clarity and coherence" and an end to "dissimulation and deception" in the Catholic Church in Germany from Pope Francis and the German Bishops' Conference. Among the organisers, named as ''Acies Ordinata'', were 130 members of Catholic laity from Germany, Austria, Italy, Brazil, Chile, Canada, and the United States.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/munich-protest-requests-clarity-and-coherence-from-pope-francis-german-bish| title = Munich Protest Requests "Clarity and Coherence" From Pope Francis, German Bishops| last = Pentin| first = Edward| date = 18 January 2020| website = National Catholic Register| access-date = 29 January 2020}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.boniface-institute.com/ St. Boniface Institute]
{{Traditionalist Catholicism|state=collapsed}} {{Authority Control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tschugguel, Alexander}} Category:Living people Category:1993 births Category:21st-century Roman Catholics Category:21st-century Austrian politicians Category:Austrian anti-abortion activists Category:Austrian anti-same-sex-marriage activists Category:Austrian activists Category:Austrian traditionalist Catholics Category:Austrian monarchists Category:Austrian nationalists Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Lutheranism Category:Politicians from Vienna Category:Roman Catholic activists