Erich Feigl

Erich Feigl (1931 – 27 January 2007) was an Austrian documentary film producer and author. He produced almost 60 documentaries, mostly for the Austrian ORF but some for BR (Bavarian), ZDF (German) and TRT (Turkish Radio Television) in co-production. He authored books about the Habsburgs, whose restoration he supported, and the historical fact of the Armenian genocide, which he denied until his death. Erich Feigl was born in Vienna, Austria. He began writing while still a student, but soon switched over to documentary film-making, continuing his career at Austrian State Television (ORF). He toured the Middle and Near East and Western Asia extensively and produced many documentaries about these places and their cultures and religions ("Journey to the Early Christian World", "Men and Myths"). He worked with the Dalai Lama on various projects ("Bardo", "Rebirth").

Feigl became interested in Turkic cultures and history, especially ("Kanuni Sultan"). After 1984 he began writing about the Armenian genocide, and he subsequently also focused his attention on Kurdish issues and the PKK guerrilla organization, which resulted in his book published under the title Die Kurden in 1995. He was one of the first authors and commentators to investigate this topic in a contemporary context. He also wrote about the history of the Habsburgs ("Kaiser Karl", "Kaiserin Zita").

Feigl was a long-time monarchist activist, and in 2006 was awarded honorary membership of the Black-Yellow Alliance, which favors the return of the House of Habsburg to power.

Described by Der Spiegel as a "fervent admirer" of Empress Zita, he was part of the monarchist committee which organized her funeral in 1989.

Feigl received the Medal for the Progress of the Republic of Azerbaijan and was an honorary board member of the Congress of European Azeris.

Feigl had died of kidney failure after being hospitalised for a stomach hemorrhage. He was cremated at Feuerhalle Simmering, with his ashes being buried on February 5 at Simmering Cemetery in Vienna.