Leopold Gratz
Encyclopedia
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Leopold Gratz was an Austrian politician.
Born in Vienna
, Gratz was a law graduate and a member of the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ). From 1963 to 1966 he was a member of the Bundesrat, from 1970 to 1971 Federal Minister of Education and the Arts. From 1966 to 1973 he served as a member of Thr National Council of Austria
and from 1986 to 1989 also as the First President of The National Council of Austria
, from 1971 to 1973 as the leader of the Socialist group in the Parliament of Austria
.
From 1973 to 1984 he was Mayor of Vienna and head of Vienna's municipal government. In 1976, he became chairman of the Vienna chapter of the Austrian Social Democratic Party. From 1984 to 1986 he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
, and from 1986 to 1989 he was the First President of the Nationalrat
. His term of office as Mayor of Vienna was overshadowed by the "Bauring" affair and the scandal around the construction of the Vienna General Hospital
. He decided to resign from the government in 1989 following another scandal, the Udo Proksch
affair. Burdening his authority as the second highest politician of the Republic of Austria, Gratz well-meaning had tried to protect his close friend Udo Proksch, who later was convicted of murder of six seamen and received a life sentence, from criminal prosecution. After Gratz has decided to abandon politics, he remained member of the party executive committee of the SPÖ Vienna as well as president of the International Conference on Kampuchea (ICK) by request of the United Nations Organization (UNO).
In 1979, Leopold Gratz was named a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Silvester by Pope John Paul II
. In 1995, Leopold Gratz was officially appointed to Honorary Citizen of Vienna, the capital of the Republic of Austria
. In 2010, a square behind the Austrian parliament
in downtown Vienna was named after Leopold Gratz (Leopold-Gratz-Square).
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| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Felix Slavik
| width="40%" align="center" | Mayor of Vienna
1973 — 1984
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Helmut Zilk
|-
Leopold Gratz was an Austrian politician.
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...
, Gratz was a law graduate and a member of the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ). From 1963 to 1966 he was a member of the Bundesrat, from 1970 to 1971 Federal Minister of Education and the Arts. From 1966 to 1973 he served as a member of Thr National Council of Austria
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...
and from 1986 to 1989 also as the First President of The National Council of Austria
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...
, from 1971 to 1973 as the leader of the Socialist group in 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 ....
.
From 1973 to 1984 he was Mayor of Vienna and head of Vienna's municipal government. In 1976, he became chairman of the Vienna chapter of the Austrian Social Democratic Party. From 1984 to 1986 he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Minister of Austria
The Foreign Minister of Austria is responsible for handling Austria's foreign policy.-Under the First Austrian Republic:* Victor Adler* Otto Bauer* Karl Renner* Michael Mayr* Johann Schober* Walter Breisky* Leopold Hennet* Alfred Grünberger...
, and from 1986 to 1989 he was the First President of the Nationalrat
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...
. His term of office as Mayor of Vienna was overshadowed by the "Bauring" affair and the scandal around the construction of the Vienna General Hospital
Vienna General Hospital
The Vienna General Hospital is the University medical center of the city of Vienna, Austria. The AKH is the largest hospital of Austria and Europe, the second largest hospital in the world, and at 85-m high is one of the tallest hospital buildings in the world...
. He decided to resign from the government in 1989 following another scandal, the Udo Proksch
Udo Proksch
Udo Proksch was an Austrian businessman and industrialist. In 1991, he was convicted of the murder of six people as part of a major insurance fraud. Proksch died in prison....
affair. Burdening his authority as the second highest politician of the Republic of Austria, Gratz well-meaning had tried to protect his close friend Udo Proksch, who later was convicted of murder of six seamen and received a life sentence, from criminal prosecution. After Gratz has decided to abandon politics, he remained member of the party executive committee of the SPÖ Vienna as well as president of the International Conference on Kampuchea (ICK) by request of the United Nations Organization (UNO).
In 1979, Leopold Gratz was named a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Silvester by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. In 1995, Leopold Gratz was officially appointed to Honorary Citizen of Vienna, the capital of the Republic of 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...
. In 2010, a square behind the Austrian parliament
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 ....
in downtown Vienna was named after Leopold Gratz (Leopold-Gratz-Square).
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Felix Slavik
| width="40%" align="center" | Mayor of Vienna
1973 — 1984
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Helmut Zilk
Helmut Zilk
Helmut Zilk was an Austrian journalist and politician in the Austrian Social Democratic Party.- Biography :...
|-