Julius Raab
Encyclopedia
Julius Raab was a Conservative
Austria
n politician
. He was Federal Chancellor of Austria from 1953 to 1961. Raab steered Allied-occupied Austria to independence. In 1955 he negotiated and signed the Austrian State Treaty
. In internal politics Raab stood for a pragmatic social partnership
and the "Grand coalition" of Austrian Conservatives and Social Democrats
.
. He attended a Catholic high school and enrolled at the Vienna University of Technology
in 1911. He was drafted into the Austrian Army before graduation and fought on the Russian
and Italian
fronts of World War I
. After the defeat of Central Powers
Raab returned to the university and engaged in politics. He married Harmine Haumer in 1923.
The death of his father and the beginning of his political career compelled Raab to drop out of the university in 1925. In 1927 he was elected to the Parliament of Austria
(Christian Social Party, Lower Austria) for the first time. He was active in the Heimwehr
, the paramilitary arm of right-wing political forces, and was appointed Heimwehr chief for Lower Austria in 1928. In 1933 he joined the Fatherland Front
, a right-wing coalition led by Engelbert Dollfuss
. During the austrofascist period
of 1934–1938 Raab progressed through the ranks of the corporate state, and was appointed Minister of Commerce by Kurt von Schuschnigg just four weeks before the Anschluss
. Raab also revealed his anti-semitism
as a parliament member in 1931 when he famously branded the Socialist leader Otto Bauer
an "insolent Jewish pig."
Raab was ousted after the Anschluss but, unlike many other political leaders, escaped death or imprisonment through the help of the Lower Austrian Nazi Gauleiter, whom he knew personally. He was never involved in the Austrian resistance
but kept in touch with the old Christian Democrat elite.
In April 1945, Raab was made a member of Karl Renner
's provisional government, formed in the Soviet occupation zone. Raab represented the forces of the past that were unacceptable to the Soviets and the left-wing majority, and for a while was "relegated to the back seat". Raab co-founded the Austrian People's Party
(ÖVP), which denounced the dark legacy of the 1930s, and assumed leadership of ÖVP parliamentary group after the legislative elections held in November 1945
. He expanded his influence through presidency in the national Chamber of Commerce, the institution tasked with managing social partnership of the government, the political parties, the entrepreneurs and the employees' trade unions. He clearly favored a free market
and minimal government regulation of the economy.
Raab succeeded Leopold Figl
as the ÖVP party chairman in 1951 and as the elected Federal Chancellor of Austria
in 1953. Despite clearly Western attitudes, Raab established excellent relations with post-Stalin
Soviet Union. In February 1955 Vyacheslav Molotov
proposed resuming the talks on Austrian independence. On April 12, 1955 Raab arrived in Moscow for the negotiations that paved the way to the Austrian State Treaty
concluded in Vienna on May 15. Austria declared neutrality
, as did all individual Bundesländer
.
The success of 1955 marked the peak of ÖVP influence. The party won 46% of the popular vote in the 1956 elections
, Raab retained his seat as the Federal Chancellor. Despite criticism within the party, Raab strongly favored a tight coalition with Social Democrats. In 1957 he and trade union chief Johann Bohm
co-founded the Joint Commission on Wages and Prices, the social partnership
institution that became a cornerstone of Austrian corporatism
.
In 1959 Raab suffered a heart attack. His own career and his party's influence declined. In 1961 he passed ÖVP leadership to Alfons Gorbach
. In 1963 Raab lost presidential elections to Adolf Schärf
. His health rapidly deteriorated, and he died on January 8, 1964.
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was Federal Chancellor of Austria from 1953 to 1961. Raab steered Allied-occupied Austria to independence. In 1955 he negotiated and signed the Austrian State Treaty
Austrian State Treaty
The Austrian State Treaty or Austrian Independence Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state. It was signed on May 15, 1955, in Vienna at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied occupying powers and the Austrian government...
. In internal politics Raab stood for a pragmatic social partnership
Social Partnership
Social partnership is the term used for the tripartite, triennial national pay agreements reached in Ireland.The process was initiated in 1987, following a period of high inflation and weak economic growth which led to increased emigration and unsustainable government borrowing and national debt...
and the "Grand coalition" of Austrian Conservatives and Social Democrats
Social Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
.
Biography
Raab was born in a middle-class Catholic family in Lower AustriaLower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. He attended a Catholic high school and enrolled at the Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology is one of the major universities in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Founded in 1815 as the "Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute" , it currently has about 26,200 students , 8 faculties and about 4,000 staff members...
in 1911. He was drafted into the Austrian Army before graduation and fought on the Russian
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
and Italian
Italian Campaign (World War I)
The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
fronts of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the defeat of Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
Raab returned to the university and engaged in politics. He married Harmine Haumer in 1923.
The death of his father and the beginning of his political career compelled Raab to drop out of the university in 1925. In 1927 he was elected to the Parliament of Austria
Parliament of Austria
In the Parliament of Austria is vested the legislative power of the Republic of Austria. The institution consists of two chambers,* the National Council and* the Federal Council ....
(Christian Social Party, Lower Austria) for the first time. He was active in the Heimwehr
Heimwehr
The Heimwehr or sometimes Heimatschutz were a Nationalist, initially paramilitary group operating within Austria during the 1920s and 1930s; they were similar in methods, organisation, and ideology to Germany's Freikorps...
, the paramilitary arm of right-wing political forces, and was appointed Heimwehr chief for Lower Austria in 1928. In 1933 he joined the Fatherland Front
Fatherland Front
There have been at least two organisations known as the Fatherland Front:*Vietnamese Fatherland Front*Fatherland's Front *Fatherland Front...
, a right-wing coalition led by Engelbert Dollfuss
Engelbert Dollfuss
Engelbert Dollfuss was an Austrian Christian Social and Patriotic Front statesman. Serving previously as Minister for Forest and Agriculture, he ascended to Federal Chancellor in 1932 in the midst of a crisis for the conservative government...
. During the austrofascist period
Austrofascism
Austrofascism is a term which is frequently used by historians to describe the authoritarian rule installed in Austria with the May Constitution of 1934, which ceased with the forcible incorporation of the newly-founded Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938...
of 1934–1938 Raab progressed through the ranks of the corporate state, and was appointed Minister of Commerce by Kurt von Schuschnigg just four weeks before the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
. Raab also revealed his anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
as a parliament member in 1931 when he famously branded the Socialist leader Otto Bauer
Otto Bauer
Otto Bauer was an Austrian Social Democrat who is considered one of the leading thinkers of the left socialist Austro-Marxist tendency...
an "insolent Jewish pig."
Raab was ousted after the Anschluss but, unlike many other political leaders, escaped death or imprisonment through the help of the Lower Austrian Nazi Gauleiter, whom he knew personally. He was never involved in the Austrian resistance
Austrian resistance
The Austrian resistance to the Nazi rule that started with the Anschluss in 1938 had a prehistory of socialist and communist activism against the era of Austrofascism from 1934. These activists, limited primarily to adherents of the political far left, operated in isolation from the Austrian...
but kept in touch with the old Christian Democrat elite.
In April 1945, Raab was made a member of Karl Renner
Karl Renner
Karl Renner was an Austrian politician. He was born in Untertannowitz in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and died in Vienna...
's provisional government, formed in the Soviet occupation zone. Raab represented the forces of the past that were unacceptable to the Soviets and the left-wing majority, and for a while was "relegated to the back seat". Raab co-founded the Austrian People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
(ÖVP), which denounced the dark legacy of the 1930s, and assumed leadership of ÖVP parliamentary group after the legislative elections held in November 1945
Austrian legislative election, 1945
The elections to the Austrian National Council held in fall of 1945 were the first after World War II. The elections were held according to the Austrian election law of 1929, with all citizens at least 21 years old eligible to vote, however former Nazis were banned from voting, official sources...
. He expanded his influence through presidency in the national Chamber of Commerce, the institution tasked with managing social partnership of the government, the political parties, the entrepreneurs and the employees' trade unions. He clearly favored a free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
and minimal government regulation of the economy.
Raab succeeded Leopold Figl
Leopold Figl
Leopold Figl was an Austrian politician of the Austrian People's Party and the first Federal Chancellor after World War II...
as the ÖVP party chairman in 1951 and as the elected Federal Chancellor of Austria
Chancellor of Austria
The Federal Chancellor is the head of government in Austria. Its deputy is the Vice-Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria. The Federal Chancellor is considered to be the most powerful political position in Austrian politics.-Appointment:The...
in 1953. Despite clearly Western attitudes, Raab established excellent relations with post-Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
Soviet Union. In February 1955 Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of Joseph Stalin, to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev...
proposed resuming the talks on Austrian independence. On April 12, 1955 Raab arrived in Moscow for the negotiations that paved the way to the Austrian State Treaty
Austrian State Treaty
The Austrian State Treaty or Austrian Independence Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state. It was signed on May 15, 1955, in Vienna at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied occupying powers and the Austrian government...
concluded in Vienna on May 15. Austria declared neutrality
Declaration of Neutrality
The Declaration of Neutrality was a declaration by the Austrian Parliament declaring the country permanently neutral. It was enacted on 26 October 1955 as a constitutional act of parliament, i.e., as part of the Constitution of Austria....
, as did all individual Bundesländer
States of Austria
Austria is a federal republic made up of nine states, known in German as Länder . Since Land is also the German word for a country, the term Bundesländer is often used instead to avoid ambiguity. The Constitution of Austria uses both terms...
.
The success of 1955 marked the peak of ÖVP influence. The party won 46% of the popular vote in the 1956 elections
Austrian legislative election, 1956
Parliamentary elections were held in Austria on 13 May 1956. The result was a victory for the Austrian People's Party, which won 82 of the 165 seats. Voter turnout was 96.0%.-Results:...
, Raab retained his seat as the Federal Chancellor. Despite criticism within the party, Raab strongly favored a tight coalition with Social Democrats. In 1957 he and trade union chief Johann Bohm
Johann Böhm
Johann Böhm was a Bohemian German chemist who focused on photochemistry and radiography. The aluminum-containing mineral boehmite was named after him....
co-founded the Joint Commission on Wages and Prices, the social partnership
Social Partnership
Social partnership is the term used for the tripartite, triennial national pay agreements reached in Ireland.The process was initiated in 1987, following a period of high inflation and weak economic growth which led to increased emigration and unsustainable government borrowing and national debt...
institution that became a cornerstone of Austrian corporatism
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
.
In 1959 Raab suffered a heart attack. His own career and his party's influence declined. In 1961 he passed ÖVP leadership to Alfons Gorbach
Alfons Gorbach
Alfons Gorbach was an Austrian politician who served as Chancellor of Austria from 1961-64.From 1929-32, Gorbach was a municipal councillor in Graz...
. In 1963 Raab lost presidential elections to Adolf Schärf
Adolf Schärf
Adolf Schärf was, from 1957 to his death, the sixth President of Austria. Born into a poor working class family, he put himself through law school working part time and with a scholarship granted for academic excellence...
. His health rapidly deteriorated, and he died on January 8, 1964.
Further reading
- Brusatti, Alois (1986). Julius Raab: eine Biographie in Einzeldarstellungen. R. Trauner. ISBN 3853203663.
- Raab, Julius (1964). Selbstportraet einer Politikers. Europa Verlag.