On this day, 39 years ago, March 4, 1986 (January 24, 1986 in the lunar calendar), Waldheim was accused of being a Nazi. Waldheim On March 4, 1986, former Secretary-General of the United Nations General Assembly Kurt Waldheim, now a non-partisan presidential candidate in Austria, was accused by the World Jewish Congress of serving in the German Command during World War II and participating in the criminal activities of persecuting Yugoslav Jews and expelling thousands of Greek Jews from Thessaloniki from Greek borders in 1942-1943. In a Colombia news interview, the Austrian politician responded to the accusation: "I have worked in German command headquarters in various Balkan countries. This is true, but I have never participated in atrocities of any nature. All I did was serve as a verbal interpreter between the German and Italian commanders." Asked why the secrets were resurfaced after so long, he said the accusation was only to influence the campaign. World Jewish Congress officials said the election was not a factor in the accusation against him and that they were "simply trying to clarify the facts." Hagen-Fricher, an expert on Greek Jews, said Waldheim was not involved in the deportation of Jews.