Hermann Withalm

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Hermann Withalm (born April 21, 1912 in Gaunersdorf , Lower Austria ; † August 19, 2003 in Wolkersdorf im Weinviertel ) was an Austrian politician ( ÖVP ) and Vice Chancellor from 1968 to 1970 .

Life

As the grandson of Ignaz Withalm , the long-time mayor of his home parish and member of the Lower Austrian state parliament , and coming from the center of the Lower Austrian Weinviertel , Hermann Withalm attended the Melk Abbey High School and the Kalksburg Jesuit High School , where he graduated in 1930 . He then studied law at the University of Vienna (doctorate in 1935).

He was a member of KaV Norica Wien , then in the CV , today in the ÖCV and at Nordgau Laa an der Thaya in the MKV (honorary philistine 1954).

After the court and notary practice in Vienna, Mistelbach and Poysdorf , he was dismissed by the National Socialists in 1938 and worked on the Reichsautobahn until 1942 . After two more years as a trainee in Vienna and Wolkersdorf , he became a public notary in Wolkersdorf in 1947 .

Political career

There he headed the regional division of the People's Party from 1952 and was then General Secretary of the ÖVP from 1960 to 1970. He was instrumental in the reform of the ÖVP, which he enforced with Josef Klaus against the will of conservatives such as Alfons Gorbach . After the National Council election in 1966 ( absolute majority for the People's Party), he became club chairman of the ÖVP in the National Council and was the “congenial opponent” of the club chairman of the SPÖ , Bruno Pittermann (as he said appreciatively).

When the relative majority went to the SPÖ for the first time in the 1970 elections, Federal Chancellor Josef Klaus resigned and Withalm was his successor as federal party leader of the ÖVP for almost two years. Withalm owes the nickname Iron Hermann to the journalist Kurt Vorhofer and corresponds to his sharp thinking and his steadfastness in fundamental questions. From 1953 to 1975 he was a member of parliament and from 1956 to 1959 State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.

He acted as Vice Chancellor from January 19, 1968 to April 21, 1970 (sole government of the ÖVP, Chancellor was Josef Klaus) and then resumed his notarial duties. In 1976 he became chairman of the senior citizens' union of the ÖVP and remained so - as the longest serving - until 1988.

Withalm was originally intended as an ÖVP candidate for the 1974 federal presidential election, and a first election poster with his likeness was already in print. Surprisingly, however, the party executive (at the urging of the Tyrolean governor Eduard Wallnöfer ) then made Alois Lugger a candidate. He finally lost the election to Rudolf Kirchschläger .

Hermann Withalm was chairman of the Austrian Seniors ' Union until 1988, the last political office he held. He died on August 19, 2003 in Wolkersdorf and is buried in the crypt of the Withalm family at the Gaweinstal local cemetery.

Fonts

  • Hermann Withalm: Notes , Styria , Graz 1974

Honors

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Altkalksburger circular  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Circular letter from the Graduate Association of the Kalksburg College@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.altkalksburger.org  
  2. ↑ "Catholic Couleur Students in Austria" = "Borussen-Echo", 269a, October 1982, p. 10 (only "Nordgau")
  3. ^ Paul Lendvai : My Austria
  4. ^ The world until yesterday: Hermann Withalm: The political crash of the "Iron" , Die Presse , April 18, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  5. ↑ Biography on parlament.gv.at , accessed on January 15, 2013

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Withalm, Hermann
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian politician (ÖVP), member of the National Council
DATE OF BIRTH April 21, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Gaweinstal
DATE OF DEATH August 19, 2003
Place of death Wolkersdorf in the Weinviertel