Otto Kuenzel

Otto Künzel (born September 30, 1903 in Kupferzell ; † September 21, 1966 in Reutlingen ) was a German SPD politician .

Künzel, the son of a secondary school teacher, attended elementary school in Kupferzell and the high school in Schwäbisch Hall . From 1926 to 1928 he was trained for the higher administrative service, as part of the training he completed two internships at the Kreissparkasse Neuchâtel and in the mayor's office in Großaspach . After successfully passing the exam, he worked as an assistant and later as senior secretary at the Reutlingen city care accounting department. When the National Socialists seized power , he was dismissed as a civil servant in 1933 and imprisoned in the Heuberg protective custody camp for five months . After his dismissal, he tried to work as a self-employed tax advisor, but was not allowed to practice the profession due to political unreliability. So he changed his job again and was now employed by the Burkhardt company in Pfullingen . In 1938 he was sentenced to one year and four months in prison for preparing for high treason, which he spent in Ulm and Bettenreute . After his dismissal and six months without a job, he found a job at the metal processing company Braun & Kemmler in Tübingen . Since he took on a responsible position there, he did not have to be drafted into the Wehrmacht during the Second World War .

After the end of the war, he returned to the public service as an administrative officer at the city of Reutlingen. He also took part in the reconstruction of the SPD in Württemberg-Hohenzollern , of which he had been a member since 1923. From 1946 until it was incorporated into the state of Baden-Württemberg in 1952, he was a member of the advisory state assembly and then of the state parliament of Württemberg-Hohenzollern . In April 1946, at the request of the head of the provisional government Carlo Schmid , he was appointed state commissioner for political cleansing. During his tenure, he received a lot of criticism for his work. After thirteen months, he resigned from office, having previously suffered a nervous breakdown and a minor stroke. He then returned to the public service and local politics. In 1948 he was appointed city director and in 1957 first deputy of the city of Reutlingen. In this office, which he held until his death, he was allowed to use the title of mayor. In addition, he was a member of the district council and held other functions.

Künzel was married twice.

Web links

• Biography about Otto Künzel on LeoBW