Karl Seitz
Encyclopedia
Karl Seitz was an Austria
n politician
and the first President of Austria.
Karl Seitz was born in Vienna
, then capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire
, as the son of a struggling small-time coal trader. Following the premature death of his father in 1875, the family was thrown into abject poverty, and Seitz had to be sent off to an orphanage. Seitz nonetheless received adequate education and earned a scholarship enabling him to enroll in a teacher training college in the Lower Austria
n city of St. Pölten. In 1888, he took employment as a public elementary school teacher in Vienna.
Already an outspoken Social Democrat
at that time, he was disciplined several times for his political activism. His founding of a Social Democratic teachers' union in 1896 lead to his delegation into the Lower Austrian provincial Board of Education in 1897, which in turn lead to his termination as a teacher later that same year. Seitz now turned to full-time politics and established himself as one of Austrian Social Democracy's most eminent experts on educational policy. In 1901 Seitz was elected to the Imperial Council
and in 1902 to the provincial parliament of Lower Austria
. Following the outbreak of World War I
in 1914, Seitz developed pronounced pacifist
leanings and participated in the 1917 Stockholm
Socialists' Congress.
Seitz entered history in 1918, when Austria-Hungary was breaking down and its disintegration into smaller independent nation states was becoming manifest. On October 21, the Imperial Council parliamentarians representing the empire's ethnically German provinces moved to form a Provisional National Assembly for their paralyzed rump state. In its constituent session, the Provisional National Assembly appointed Seitz as one of its three chairmen. Barely more than a week later, by October 30, Seitz had informally emerged as an acting head of state. By November 12, Emperor
Karl had abdicated, the Republic of German Austria had been proclaimed, and Seitz had thus turned from acting head of state to provisional president. Almost simultaneously, Seitz was also appointed provisional chairman of the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Austria following the death of party nestor Victor Adler
. In 1919, his positions both as President of Austria
and as party chairman were formalized.
Following the implementation of the definitive Constitution of Austria
on October 1, 1920, Seitz declined to seek re-election, leaving office on December 9. He did, however, not retire from politics: retaining both his party chairmanship and his seat in the newly established National Council
, Seitz now devoted his attention to Vienna local affairs. On November 13, 1923, he was elected Mayor of Vienna. The extensive and competently administered public welfare and education programs implemented during his tenure, in particular his program of residential building promotion, earned Seitz enormous popularity even among his party's opponents and were positively remembered for decades. When Austria turned into an Austrofascist
dictatorship
in 1934 and Social Democracy's insurrection against the federal government turned was unsuccessful, the Social Democratic Worker's Party was outlawed. Having thus lost his party chairmanship, Seitz was also removed from his post as a mayor and taken into custody, to be released without charges a few weeks later. Even though a majority of Viennese considered his removal from office illegitimate, Seitz's political career had essentially been brought to an end.
Continuing to live in Vienna, Seitz witnessed Austria's
union with Nazi Germany
in 1938 and the outbreak of World War II
in 1939. In 1944, he was placed under arrest a second time, for a time even being imprisoned in the Ravensbrück
concentration camp, only to again return to Vienna when Nazi Germany eventually collapsed in May 1945. Though by now of ill health, Seitz served the newly established Social Democratic Party of Austria
as its honorary chairman and a nominal National Council member his until death at the age of 80.
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Jakob Reumann
| width="40%" align="center" | Mayor of Vienna
1923–1934
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Richard Schmitz
|-
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...
and the first President of Austria.
Karl Seitz was born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, then capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
, as the son of a struggling small-time coal trader. Following the premature death of his father in 1875, the family was thrown into abject poverty, and Seitz had to be sent off to an orphanage. Seitz nonetheless received adequate education and earned a scholarship enabling him to enroll in a teacher training college in the Lower Austria
Lower 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...
n city of St. Pölten. In 1888, he took employment as a public elementary school teacher in Vienna.
Already an outspoken Social Democrat
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
at that time, he was disciplined several times for his political activism. His founding of a Social Democratic teachers' union in 1896 lead to his delegation into the Lower Austrian provincial Board of Education in 1897, which in turn lead to his termination as a teacher later that same year. Seitz now turned to full-time politics and established himself as one of Austrian Social Democracy's most eminent experts on educational policy. In 1901 Seitz was elected to the Imperial Council
Reichsrat (Austria)
The Imperial Council of Austria from 1867 to 1918 was the parliament of the Cisleithanian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Herrenhaus and the Abgeordnetenhaus...
and in 1902 to the provincial parliament of Lower Austria
Lower 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...
. Following the outbreak 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...
in 1914, Seitz developed pronounced pacifist
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
leanings and participated in the 1917 Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Socialists' Congress.
Seitz entered history in 1918, when Austria-Hungary was breaking down and its disintegration into smaller independent nation states was becoming manifest. On October 21, the Imperial Council parliamentarians representing the empire's ethnically German provinces moved to form a Provisional National Assembly for their paralyzed rump state. In its constituent session, the Provisional National Assembly appointed Seitz as one of its three chairmen. Barely more than a week later, by October 30, Seitz had informally emerged as an acting head of state. By November 12, Emperor
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
Karl had abdicated, the Republic of German Austria had been proclaimed, and Seitz had thus turned from acting head of state to provisional president. Almost simultaneously, Seitz was also appointed provisional chairman of the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Austria following the death of party nestor Victor Adler
Victor Adler
----Victor Adler was an Austrian Social Democratic leader.Born in Prague, Adler received a university degree in Vienna in 1881. He founded the Socialist movement in Austria and created the Marxist journals Gleicheit in 1886 and Arbeiter-Zeitung in 1889...
. In 1919, his positions both as President of Austria
President of Austria
The President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
and as party chairman were formalized.
Following the implementation of the definitive Constitution of Austria
Constitution of Austria
The Constitution of Austria is the body of all constitutional law of the Republic of Austria on the federal level. It is split up over many different acts...
on October 1, 1920, Seitz declined to seek re-election, leaving office on December 9. He did, however, not retire from politics: retaining both his party chairmanship and his seat in the newly established National Council
National Council of Austria
The National Council is one of the two houses of the Austrian parliament. According to the constitution, the National Council and the complementary Federal Council are peers...
, Seitz now devoted his attention to Vienna local affairs. On November 13, 1923, he was elected Mayor of Vienna. The extensive and competently administered public welfare and education programs implemented during his tenure, in particular his program of residential building promotion, earned Seitz enormous popularity even among his party's opponents and were positively remembered for decades. When Austria turned into an Austrofascist
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...
dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
in 1934 and Social Democracy's insurrection against the federal government turned was unsuccessful, the Social Democratic Worker's Party was outlawed. Having thus lost his party chairmanship, Seitz was also removed from his post as a mayor and taken into custody, to be released without charges a few weeks later. Even though a majority of Viennese considered his removal from office illegitimate, Seitz's political career had essentially been brought to an end.
Continuing to live in Vienna, Seitz witnessed Austria's
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
union with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in 1938 and the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939. In 1944, he was placed under arrest a second time, for a time even being imprisoned in the Ravensbrück
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
concentration camp, only to again return to Vienna when Nazi Germany eventually collapsed in May 1945. Though by now of ill health, Seitz served the newly established Social Democratic Party of Austria
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...
as its honorary chairman and a nominal National Council member his until death at the age of 80.
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Jakob Reumann
Jakob Reumann
Jakob Reumann was an Austrian Social Democratic politician and the first social democratic mayor of Vienna from 1919 to 1923.-Biography:...
| width="40%" align="center" | Mayor of Vienna
1923–1934
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Richard Schmitz
Richard Schmitz
Richard Schmitz was the last Social-Christian mayor of Vienna, Austria.Richard Schmitz served as Vice Chancellor of Austria, as well as its Minister of Social Welfare and of Education, and as Commissioner of Vienna...
|-