Kurt Weiland
Encyclopedia
Kurt Weiland is a native of Austria
and an executive in the Church of Scientology International
. He is director of external affairs for the Church of Scientology
's Office of Special Affairs
, and Scientology's vice president of communications. He is a member of the organization's board of directors
, and handles government, legal and public affairs for Scientology
. He has often represented Scientology to the press as a media spokesman. Weiland works out of the Church of Scientology's offices in Los Angeles
, California
.
, and performed work for the organization in Santa Barbara
, California
. Weiland was executive director of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs in 1994, and was responsible for its international legal affairs and public relations. In December 1994 he prevented Richard Leiby, a reporter for The Washington Post
, from attending a luncheon at the National Press Club sponsored by the Church of Scientology International. Weiland did not allow Leiby to enter the First Amendment Lounge, and told him: "You seem to make a living by writing falsehoods." "We know that you used to work in Clearwater, and we know exactly what you wrote," Weiland said to Leiby.
In an interview at the National Press Club in 1994, the St. Petersburg Times
asked Weiland and Scientology President Heber Jentzsch
about the Church of Scientology's practice of investigating reporters who write about Scientology. "First of all, we don't do that. There's no institutional or organized campaign or effort or action ongoing to go after a reporter," said Weiland. When asked about a discrepancy after Church of Scientology officials confirmed in 1998 that their attorneys had hired a firm to investigate a reporter for the Boston Herald
, Weiland said: "It's not a personal thing. Every time a reporter steps out of his way to create damage to the church ... then, of course, it's gloves off." He said that the Boston Herald reporter's articles were inaccurate, and the Church of Scientology decided to investigate the individual in order to determine what "vested interest" he was working for and what "sinister motive" he had.
Weiland was the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Office of Special Affairs in 1995, and served on the board of directors of the Church of Scientology International. In 1996 he was director of the Office of Special Affairs, and in 1997 Weiland managed external affairs for the Church of Scientology.
On June 13, 2003, Weiland accompanied actor and Scientologist Tom Cruise
and director of the Church of Scientology's Los Angeles
Celebrity Centre
, Tommy Davis
, to meet with then-United States
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
. In the half-hour long private meeting, they raised concerns with Armitage about the treatment of Scientologists in Germany
and other countries.
In 2006, Weiland was listed on a "Senior Honor Roll" in Impact, the magazine of the International Association of Scientologists
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and an executive in the Church of Scientology International
Church of Scientology International
The Church of Scientology International, Inc. is a Californian 501 non-profit corporation. Within the worldwide network of Scientology corporations and entities, CSI is officially referred to as the "mother church" of the Church of Scientology....
. He is director of external affairs for the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
's Office of Special Affairs
Office of Special Affairs
The Office of Special Affairs or OSA is a department of the Church of Scientology. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigations, publicizing the Church's "social betterment works," and "oversee[ing its] social reform programs"...
, and Scientology's vice president of communications. He is a member of the organization's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
, and handles government, legal and public affairs for Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
. He has often represented Scientology to the press as a media spokesman. Weiland works out of the Church of Scientology's offices in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Work for Church of Scientology
In 1984 Weiland was a member of the Church of Scientology's Religious Technology CenterReligious Technology Center
The Religious Technology Center is a Californian non-profit corporation. RTC was founded in 1982 by the Church of Scientology in order to control and oversee the use of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of Scientology and Dianetics, including the copyrighted works of Scientology founder and...
, and performed work for the organization in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Weiland was executive director of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs in 1994, and was responsible for its international legal affairs and public relations. In December 1994 he prevented Richard Leiby, a reporter for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, from attending a luncheon at the National Press Club sponsored by the Church of Scientology International. Weiland did not allow Leiby to enter the First Amendment Lounge, and told him: "You seem to make a living by writing falsehoods." "We know that you used to work in Clearwater, and we know exactly what you wrote," Weiland said to Leiby.
In an interview at the National Press Club in 1994, the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
asked Weiland and Scientology President Heber Jentzsch
Heber Jentzsch
Heber Carl Jentzsch has served as president of the Church of Scientology International since 1982.-Biography:Heber Jentzsch grew up in a Mormon family, and identified himself as a "believing Mormon". He is the son of polygamist Carl Jentzsch and Carl's third wife Pauline; Heber has 42 siblings...
about the Church of Scientology's practice of investigating reporters who write about Scientology. "First of all, we don't do that. There's no institutional or organized campaign or effort or action ongoing to go after a reporter," said Weiland. When asked about a discrepancy after Church of Scientology officials confirmed in 1998 that their attorneys had hired a firm to investigate a reporter for the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
, Weiland said: "It's not a personal thing. Every time a reporter steps out of his way to create damage to the church ... then, of course, it's gloves off." He said that the Boston Herald reporter's articles were inaccurate, and the Church of Scientology decided to investigate the individual in order to determine what "vested interest" he was working for and what "sinister motive" he had.
Weiland was the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Office of Special Affairs in 1995, and served on the board of directors of the Church of Scientology International. In 1996 he was director of the Office of Special Affairs, and in 1997 Weiland managed external affairs for the Church of Scientology.
On June 13, 2003, Weiland accompanied actor and Scientologist Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
and director of the Church of Scientology's Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Celebrity Centre
Celebrity Centre
Celebrity Centres are Church of Scientology facilities that are open to the public but serve mostly artists and celebrities and other "professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government", as "those are the people who are sculpting the...
, Tommy Davis
Thomas W. Davis
Thomas W. "Tommy" Davis is the head of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre International in Los Angeles, California.-Celebrity Centre:...
, to meet with then-United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
Richard Armitage (politician)
Richard Lee Armitage, GCMG AC CNZM was the 13th United States Deputy Secretary of State, the second-in-command at the State Department, serving from 2001 to 2005.-Early life and military career:...
. In the half-hour long private meeting, they raised concerns with Armitage about the treatment of Scientologists in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and other countries.
In 2006, Weiland was listed on a "Senior Honor Roll" in Impact, the magazine of the International Association of Scientologists
International Association of Scientologists
The International Association of Scientologists is an English non-profit organization, which was formed in October 1984 by a group of Scientologists, who assembled at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, England...
.