A Notorious Figure of the Swiss Far-Right Organizes in Hungary to Defend Orbán
Lake Balaton has become a refuge for German-speaking retirees who hold far-right views.
Feeling politically persecuted, they see Hungary as the land of promise, guided by a notorious Swiss man.
A day before Viktor Orbán's March 15th speech, Ignaz Bearth was seen using his phone at a bus stop in Óbuda. Dressed casually in a white cap and jeans, the man had traveled from his home in Zalabér to the capital.
Beneath the spring sunlight, he might seem like an ordinary passenger of Budapest's public transport system. However, in reality, he is a notorious figure of the Swiss far-right, who has spent three years mobilizing a network of German-speaking political dissidents in Hungary.
His destination is the Fenyőgyöngye restaurant, a venue serving traditional Hungarian dishes and hosting this week's meeting of the community. "We love Orbán and support him," he says in English.
"I only speak a little Hungarian," he adds, with a strong accent, seemingly regretting not being born Hungarian. He describes himself as a defender of democracy and dialogue but refuses to engage with "leftist court reporters," declaring them unwelcome at their events.
Over the past three years, Bearth has become somewhat of a spiritual leader for the increasingly large community of German-speaking individuals moving to Hungary, particularly around Lake Balaton. His near 20-year political activism has taken him from Western neo-Nazi organizations through Jobbik to Viktor Orbán.