Ferdinand von Wimmer

Ferdinand Freiherr von Wimmer (born December 18, 1860 in Persenbeug ; † November 3, 1919 in Achenkirchen ) was the Austro-Hungarian Finance Minister during the First World War , from October 1917 to November 1918.

Life

Ferdinand Wimmer was born on December 18, 1860 in Persenbeug (Lower Austria). After his doctorate in law in 1888, he did an internship at the court and found a job in the financial procuration a year later. On July 4, 1891, Wimmer was accepted into the kuk finance ministry, in which he worked his way up to the ministerial councilor. In 1906 he appears in the minutes as government commissioner, four years later he becomes head of the section.

In the negotiations for the extension of the banking privilege he already held a higher position. After successfully completing it, he was knighted by Emperor Franz Joseph . On 27 October 1917, he eventually became the Finance Minister of Austria-Hungary and in the process of Charles I . awarded the baron class.

Ferdinand von Wimmer married Emma Huber on August 14, 1884 and with her three children, a son ( Lothar Wimmer ) and two daughters.

His secretary at the time, Friedrich von Kleinwaechter, wrote about the war bonds that had been issued under Wimmer : "So there was no other option than to incur further debts in the form of war bonds. We knew that such a financial economy would ultimately lead to inflation. But if you do not have mercy or Injustice wanted to lay down its arms, there was no other way. "

Wimmer remained active as Finance Minister until two weeks before the Republic of German Austria was proclaimed.

On March 6, 1919, he became Vice Governor of the Austro-Hungarian Bank .

Ferdinand Freiherrn von Wimmer died on November 3, 1919 in Achenkirchen in Tyrol, where he actually wanted to recover from his hard working life, only about six months after his appointment as Vice Governor.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Wolfgang Fritz: v. Wimmer - Austria's Finance Minister - Part 24: A distinguished official - Wiener Zeitung Online . In: Archive . ( wienerzeitung.at [accessed on May 4, 2017]).
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Wolfgang Fritz: v. Wimmer - Austria's Finance Minister - Part 24: A distinguished official - Wiener Zeitung Online . In: Archive . ( wienerzeitung.at [accessed on May 4, 2017]).