| Anton Rintelen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Anton Rintelen November 15, 1876 Graz |
| Died | January 28, 1946 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Citizenship | Austrian, German (1938-1945) |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Employer | Charles University in Prague |
| Known for | Politician |
| Title | Minister of Education |
| Term | 1926; 1932-33 |
| Political party | Christian Social Party, Nazi Party |
Anton Rintelen (born 15 November 1876 in Graz, Austria – died 28 January 1946) was an Austrian academic, jurist and politician. Initially associated with the right wing Christian Social Party, he later became involved in a Nazi coup d'etat plot.
He was a professor at the Charles University in Prague before taking up a career in politics with the Christian Social Party. [1] He served the party as Landeshauptmann of Styria from 1919 to 1926 and again from 1928 to 1933 and as Minister of Education in 1926 and 1932-3. He was sent to Rome in 1933 as Ambassador to Italy.[1] In his role in Styria he was active in supporting the local Heimwehr leader Walter Pfrimer.[2]
Despite having been a member of his government Rintelen had become an opponent of Engelbert Dollfuss, and the Austrian Nazi Party, at the time planning a putsch under the direction of Theodor Habicht, Rudolf Weydenhammer and Fridolin Glass, brought him into their conspiracy as a prospective Chancellor in 1934.[3] Rintelen wanted to quit at the last minute but the plan went ahead, although it proved a failure, reuslting in the death of Dollfuss but not a Nazi government.[4]
Rintelen's involvement in the so-called 'July Putsch' saw him sentenced to life imprisonment for treason in 1935. He was released in 1938 following the Anschluss but he took no further role in politics.[1]