Franz Birnecker

Franz Birnecker (* 1878 ; † February 17, 1923 in Hietzing , Vienna ) was a social democratic works council of the Semperit rubber works and the first victim of political violence in the First Republic of Austria .

attack

On February 17, 1923, Birnecker, who had previously attended a meeting of the Baumgartner Sports Club in the Gasthaus Zehetner in Waidhausenstrasse in Hietzing, Vienna's 13th district , and was now on his way home, saw other club members being attacked by several men with clubs . When he and another wanted to rush to the aid of the attacked, several shots were suddenly fired and Birnecker was fatally wounded. It later emerged that the attackers were members of the Ostara paramilitary formation , who had also held a meeting at the same inn that day. However, the police failed to identify the perpetrators who fired the shots.

Franz Birnecker's grave at Baumgartner Friedhof

aftermath

The murder of Birnecker now led to the establishment of the Republican Protection Association , a paramilitary organization of the Social Democratic Workers' Party.

Honors

In addition to his grave monument at the Baumgartner Friedhof in Waidhausenstraße, the Birneckergasse in Floridsdorf (21st district) named after him in 1961 commemorates Franz Birnecker.

Web links

• Franz Birnecker. In: dasrotewien.at - Web dictionary of the Viennese social democracy. SPÖ Vienna (Ed.)