Josef Klaus

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Josef Klaus

Chancellor of Austria
In office April 2, 1964 – April 21, 1970
President	Adolf Schärf Franz Jonas
Deputy	Bruno Pittermann Fritz Bock Hermann Withalm
Preceded by	Alfons Gorbach
Succeeded by	Bruno Kreisky
Personal details
Born	(1910-08-15)August 15, 1910 Kötschach-Mauthen/Carinthia, Austria
Died	July 26, 2001(2001-07-26) (aged 90) Vienna, Austria
Nationality	Austrian
Political party	ÖVP
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Josef Klaus (August 15, 1910, Kötschach-Mauthen, Carinthia - July 26, 2001, Vienna) was an Austrian Christian/Conservative politician of the Peoples Party (ÖVP) and the Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) from 1964 to 1970. In 1934 graduated from law school. He married in 1936. During World War II he served in the German army in campaigns in Poland, France, Finland and Russia; he was captured in early 1945 and held in a POW camp.

Political career

Klaus was governor of the Austrian province Salzburg from 1949 to 1961 and leading member of the ÖVP. When Chancellor Julius Raab resigned, Klaus' influence as a representative of the "young reformers" grew. Klaus became Federal Minister of Finance under Chancellor Alfons Gorbach and followed him as Chancellor when Gorbach ran for Federal President. Klaus formed another grand coalition with the Social democrats which had already started in 1945 and lasted till 1966, when the ÖVP under Klaus won the elections with a remarkable percentage. In June first steps were agreed on joining the European Economic Community which in the long run finally led to Austria joining the European Union in 1995.

Josef Klaus started many reforms and is remembered for administrating the government efficiently, but he lost the 1970 election against Bruno Kreisky (SPÖ), who was his successor as Chancellor. Klaus might have been able to continue by entering into a coalition with the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), but immediately resigned after losing the elections.

Despite his "hard image", Klaus was celebrated at his 90th birthday all over the country. In September 1971 he published his memoirs "Macht und Ohnmacht in Österreich", and up to 1995 he frequently led seminars on political and social themes.

References

KLAUS, Josef International Who's Who, accessed September 4, 2006.

Predecessor:

Alfons Gorbach

Chancellors of Austria

Successor:

Bruno Kreisky

v t e Chancellors of Austria

First Republic	Karl Renner Michael Mayr Johann Schober Walter Breisky Johann Schober Ignaz Seipel Rudolf Ramek Ignaz Seipel Ernst Streeruwitz Johann Schober Carl Vaugoin Otto Ender Karl Buresch Engelbert Dollfuss Kurt Schuschnigg Arthur Seyss-Inquart

Second Republic	Karl Renner Leopold Figl Julius Raab Alfons Gorbach Josef Klaus Bruno Kreisky Fred Sinowatz Franz Vranitzky Viktor Klima Wolfgang Schüssel Alfred Gusenbauer Werner Faymann

v t e Party Chairmen of the ÖVP

Leopold Figl Julius Raab Alfons Gorbach Josef Klaus Hermann Withalm Karl Schleinzer Josef Taus Alois Mock Josef Riegler Erhard Busek Wolfgang Schüssel Wilhelm Molterer Josef Pröll Michael Spindelegger

Јозеф Клаус

Authority control	WorldCat VIAF: 47554165 LCCN: n81055300 ISNI: 0000 0000 6147 8682 GND: 118562789

Persondata
Name	Klaus, Josef
Alternative names
Short description	Austrian politician
Date of birth	August 15, 1910
Place of birth	Kötschach-Mauthen/Carinthia, Austria
Date of death	July 26, 2001
Place of death	Vienna, Austria

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