Wilhelm Miklas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wilhelm Miklas | |
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| In office 1928 – 1938 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Hainisch |
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| Succeeded by | Karl Renner |
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| Born | October 15, 1872 Krems an der Donau |
| Died | March 20, 1956 Vienna |
| Political party | Christian Social Party |
| Spouse | Leopoldine Miklas |
Wilhelm Miklas (born October 15, 1872 – March 20, 1956) was an Austrian politician who served as the third President of Austria from 1928 until its annexation by Nazi Germany in the Anschluss 1938.
Born as the son of a post office official in Krems an der Donau, Lower Austria, Wilhelm Miklas studied history and geography at the University of Vienna while serving in his role for the Christian Social Party.
On December 10, 1928 he was elected the President of Austria, a role he served in until the position ceased to exist ten years later when Austria was annexed by Germany in the Anschluss.
In 1930 Miklas appeared on a set of Austrian postage stamps. In 1936 he entertained Miklós Horthy at Lake Wörth.
Miklas originally offered amnesty to jailed Nazi members, but refused to turn over the national police force to Arthur Seyss-Inquart, though after Hitler ordered military operations along the border, Miklas was forced to concede to their demands and installed Seyss-Inquart as the Austrian Minister of the Interior.
German demands grew, and on March 11th Hermann Göring demanded that Seyss-Inquart replace Kurt Schuschnigg as the Federal Chancellor of Austria, or else German forces would overrun Austria the following day. Miklas refused, and after Hitler received confirmation from Mussolini that he would not interfere, it was announced that German troops would invade at dawn the following day. Miklas capitulated at midnight, announcing that he had instated Seyss-Inquart as the new Chancellor, but it was too late. When German troops rolled over the border at dawn the next day, they were largely greeted as heroes.
Miklas was disliked by many members of the Austrian Nazi Party at this point for his initial refusal to appoint them custodians of Austria, and it ended up being future Waffen-SS colonel Otto Skorzeny who protected Miklas during the Anschluss.
He was placed under house arrest and abandoned the political sphere.
Miklas died on March 20, 1956 in Vienna.
| Presidents of Austria |  |
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| Karl Seitz • Michael Hainisch • Wilhelm Miklas • war period • Karl Renner • Theodor Körner • Adolf Schärf • Franz Jonas • Rudolf Kirchschläger • Kurt Waldheim • Thomas Klestil • Heinz Fischer |
