Grete Rehor

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Grete Rehor (1966)
Grete Rehor's tomb in the Ottakringer Friedhof

Grete Rehor (born June 30, 1910 in Vienna as Grete Daurer ; † January 28, 1987 there ) was an Austrian politician ( ÖVP ) and first Austrian minister .

Youth and education

Grete Rehor was born in Vienna in 1910 as the second of three children to a qualified nurse and a civil servant. She suffered a severe blow of fate early on: her father never returned from the First World War . After five years of elementary school in Vienna- Josefstadt , she attended the citizens 'school and a one-year teachers' seminar. However, she was unable to realize her dream of becoming a teacher because of the difficult economic times in the post-war years. So she began to work as a textile worker in order to enable herself to attend a trade school. “She was already aware at the time that only qualified vocational training can promote the social and economic advancement of workers in Austria.” But she was also interested in socio-political evening courses, in which she “... the intellectual tools for her future union and political activity ”.

“Her trade union activity began in 1927 as a full-time secretary in the Central Association of Christian Textile Workers in Austria .” During this time too, Rehor had to cope with another stroke of fate. Her mother died and Grete Rehor was an orphan at the age of 19. From 1928 to 1938 she was the first female member of the youth council of the Vienna Chamber of Labor . She was able to identify with the problems of working youth and, as their spokesperson, give them advice and help in many areas. She had a significant influence on the campaigns “ Youth at Work ”, “Youth in Need” and “Youth in Work”.

In 1935 she married the Christian trade unionist and later city councilor Karl Rehor . Her husband founded the Christian youth movement Junge Front in the workers' union together with the later Chancellor Josef Klaus . After the National Socialists came to power , Karl Rehor was first imprisoned, shortly afterwards drafted into the Wehrmacht and died in Stalingrad in 1943. From then on, Grete Rehor was a war widow and single mother of a daughter, whom she was even able to enable an academic degree.

Union career in the Second Republic

In 1945, shortly after the end of the war, the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions was formed . Immediately afterwards, Grete Rehor started working as a specialist group secretary for the weavers in the union of textile, clothing and leather workers. On April 16, 1948, she was elected vice-chairwoman and federal chairwoman of the FCG in this trade union, which was one of the largest unions at the time. Thus, the first fundamental step for a later ministerial career was taken, because: “In order to even be considered for the position of Minister of Social Affairs, a high function in an association was a prerequisite - according to previous political practices and the real constitution.” In addition, Rehor was a prerequisite also federal chairman of the Christian trade unionist faction in this trade union. "No route was too difficult for her and no company too distant to maintain contact with all trade unionists under the most difficult conditions throughout the country." At that time, many routes had to be made on foot, and the division of Austria into four zones did the rest. In addition, some companies were also under the command of occupation troops.

Grete Rehor participated significantly and successfully in the first wage and collective bargaining negotiations. Her efforts made her valued by both social partners and it is thanks to her efforts that the wage gap between male and female workers has been eliminated. Grete Rehor pursued the political goal of equal pay for equal work .

"As part of the women's department of the ÖGB, she exercised the function of a deputy chairwoman and as a member of the federal board of the ÖGB she worked intensively on the creation of a unified trade union federation."

In 1949 she was nominated by the Austrian People's Party as the first woman for the largest electoral district, Vienna-West. From 1949 to 1970 she assumed her responsibility as a member of the National Council . Above all, she campaigned for working women and mothers, and so in 1957 she founded the women's department of the ÖAAB, which she headed until 1975. Grete Rehor tried to motivate women for political and trade union activities in companies and departments and made the “Women in the ÖAAB” the strongest women’s group in the ÖVP.

In the office of the Minister of Social Affairs

On March 6, 1966 , the ÖVP gained an absolute majority. Coalition negotiations with the SPÖ failed, so a sole government was formed. Grete Rehor became the first Federal Minister of the Republic of Austria. (There was already an undersecretary with Helene Postranecky for 8 months in 1945. ) Klaus says: “In a conversation with the chairman of the ÖAAB, Alfred Maleta , I informed him of my intention to propose you [Rehor] as Minister of Social Affairs - and immediately found his lively one Approval: A former textile worker, war widow, trade union secretary, tried parliamentarian, member of the social committee for decades - and a woman, the federal director of the "Women in the ÖAAB", a Viennese woman with charm, wit and quick-wittedness, that would be the best solution! It may have been a bitter disappointment for Karl Kummer , but he never let me notice anything. "

The media pounced on the petite woman, who patiently gave one interview after another. “It is important and right for women to advance to the highest positions. This corresponds not only to the population and employment structure, but also to the structure of the electorate, ”she said on her first day in office for the new illustrated weekly newsreel in May 1966.

"During her term of office, she set milestones for the employees: the Labor Market Promotion Act, the Caretaker Act, the continuation of the codification of labor law and the introduction of a new public holiday on December 8th are the sole decisions of her personality." Under Rehor, the social budget rose from 1965 to 1970 66%, and the real increase in pensions was 22%, a rate not reached since then; it also implemented a new food law. In total, more than a hundred social laws were passed during her tenure, which earned her the popular nickname “black communist”.

After 1970

After the ÖVP's election defeat in 1970 , her career as Minister of Social Affairs came to an abrupt end. She left the political field, but did not remain idle. “She was committed to social issues until old age. She was vice-president of the ARGE - umbrella organization for 61 disabled people's associations and chairwoman of the Jugendfreunde as well as in the league for human rights. "

On January 28, 1987, the politician, who was also highly valued by political opponents, died in Vienna at the age of 76. In memory of her person, the Vienna City Council decided unanimously to rename the park on Schmerlingplatz as Grete-Rehor-Park . There is also the Grete Rehor Relief Fund, which takes care of disabled young people.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Maria Hampel-Fuchs (Ed.): Festschrift for Grete Rehor. Austrian Workers 'and Employees' Association, Vienna 1975, p. 24.
  2. ↑ Messner et al., P. 8.
  3. ↑ Maria Hampel-Fuchs (Ed.): Festschrift for Grete Rehor. Austrian Workers 'and Employees' Association, Vienna 1975, p. 27.
  4. ↑ Steiniger, p. 10
  5. ↑ a b c d Messner et al., P. 9.
  6. ↑ Maria Hampel-Fuchs (Ed.): Festschrift for Grete Rehor. Austrian Workers 'and Employees' Association, Vienna 1975, p. 14.
  7. ↑ Maria Hampel-Fuchs (Ed.): Festschrift for Grete Rehor. Austrian Workers 'and Employees' Association, Vienna 1975, p. 25.
  8. ↑ cf. Messner et al., P. 7.

literature

  • Maria Hampel-Fuchs (Ed.): Festschrift for Grete Rehor. Austrian Workers 'and Employees' Association, Vienna 1975.
  • Anton Burghardt (Ed.): Social security and political responsibility. Festschrift for Grete Rehor Association for Social and Economic Policy, Vienna 1975.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Rehor, Grete
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Daurer, Grete (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian politician (ÖVP), member of the National Council
DATE OF BIRTH June 30, 1910
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH January 28, 1987
Place of death Vienna