Heinz Fischer
Encyclopedia
Heinz Fischer GColIH
(haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ; born 9 October 1938) is the President of Austria
. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria
(SPÖ). He suspended his membership for the duration of the office.
, Styria
, Fischer attended the Gymnasium
, focusing on humanities, and taking his Matura
exams in 1956. He studied law at the University of Vienna
, earning a doctorate
in 1961. In 1963 at the age of 25, Fischer, spent a year volunteering at Kibbutz
Sarid
, northern Israel
. Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career, and became a Professor
of Political Science
at the University of Innsbruck in 1993.
, from 1971, and served as its president from 1990 to 2002. From 1983 to 1987 he was Minister for Science in a coalition government headed by Fred Sinowatz
.
. He was elected
on 25 April 2004 as the candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party
. He polled 52.4 per cent of the votes to defeat Benita Ferrero-Waldner
, then Foreign Minister in the ruling conservative coalition led by the People's Party
.
Fischer was sworn in on 8 July 2004 and took over the office from the college of presidents of the National Council, who had acted for the President following Klestil's death on 6 July.
Apart from labelling him, in a slightly derogatory fashion, a Berufspolitiker ("professional politician") who allegedly has never been in touch with the real world, Fischer's critics, first and foremost his colleague at university, Norbert Leser
, point out that Fischer has always avoided controversy and conflict, even when that would have been called for. The example frequently quoted in this context is Fischer's tacit support of Bruno Kreisky
's attacks on Simon Wiesenthal
. On being nominated for President, Fischer said that he hated antagonising people and that he considered this quality an asset rather than anything else.
, winning a second six-year term in office with almost 79% of the votes with a record-low voter turnout
of merely 53.6%. Around a third of those eligible to vote voted for Fischer, leading the conservative daily Die Presse
to describe the election as an "absolute majority for non-voters". The reasons for the low turnout lay in the fact that pollsters had predicted a safe victory for Fischer (Austrian presidents running for a second term of office have always won) and the other big party, ÖVP
had not nominated a candidate of their own, and had not endorsed anyone of the three candidates; some prominent persons from ÖVP, inoffically, but in public, even suggested to vote 'null and void', which did some ~7% of the voters.
. Fischer has been married since 1968. The couple has two grown children. Fischer enjoys mountaineering
and has been president of the Austrian Friends of Nature
for many years.
Order of Prince Henry (Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique)
The Order of Prince Henry the Navigator is a Portuguese National Order of Knighthood created on June 2, 1960, to commemorate the fifth centenary of the death of the Infante Henry the Navigator , fifth son of King John I of Portugal and his queen, Philippa of Lancaster...
(haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ; born 9 October 1938) is the 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...
. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the 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...
(SPÖ). He suspended his membership for the duration of the office.
Early life
Born in GrazGraz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
, Fischer attended the Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, focusing on humanities, and taking his Matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
exams in 1956. He studied law at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, earning a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1961. In 1963 at the age of 25, Fischer, spent a year volunteering at Kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Sarid
Sarid
Sarid is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located near Migdal HaEmek, it falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 590....
, northern Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career, and became a Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of Innsbruck in 1993.
Political career
Fischer was a member of the Austrian parliament, the National CouncilNational 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, and served as its president from 1990 to 2002. From 1983 to 1987 he was Minister for Science in a coalition government headed by Fred Sinowatz
Fred Sinowatz
Alfred "Fred" Sinowatz was born in Neufeld an der Leitha, Burgenland, Austria. He was an Austrian politician of the Social Democratic Party of Austria , and was Chancellor of Austria from 1983 to 1986.- Career until 1983 :Sinowatz, educated as a historian, was Minister of Education and Art in the...
.
First term as President
In January 2004 Fischer announced that he would run for President to succeed Thomas KlestilThomas Klestil
Thomas Klestil was an Austrian diplomat and politician. He was elected the tenth President of Austria in 1992 and was re-elected to the position in 1998...
. He was elected
Austrian presidential election, 2004
Presidential elections were held in Austria on 25 April 2004. While the post of President of Austria is a largely ceremonial one, presidential elections are conducted on a party basis and are seen as a test of the relative standing of the major parties....
on 25 April 2004 as the candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party
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...
. He polled 52.4 per cent of the votes to defeat Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Benita Ferrero-Waldner
Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner is an Austrian diplomat and politician, and a member of the conservative Austrian People's Party . Ferrero-Waldner served as the Foreign Minister of Austria 2000–2004 and was the candidate of the Austrian People's Party in the Austrian presidential election, 2004, which...
, then Foreign Minister in the ruling conservative coalition led by the People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
.
Fischer was sworn in on 8 July 2004 and took over the office from the college of presidents of the National Council, who had acted for the President following Klestil's death on 6 July.
Apart from labelling him, in a slightly derogatory fashion, a Berufspolitiker ("professional politician") who allegedly has never been in touch with the real world, Fischer's critics, first and foremost his colleague at university, Norbert Leser
Norbert Leser
Norbert Leser is an Austrian jurist, political scientist and social philosopher best known for his lifelong affiliation with, and critical work on, the Social Democratic Party of Austria and Austromarxism in particular.-Bibliography:...
, point out that Fischer has always avoided controversy and conflict, even when that would have been called for. The example frequently quoted in this context is Fischer's tacit support of Bruno Kreisky
Bruno Kreisky
Bruno Kreisky was an Austrian politician who served as Foreign Minister from 1959 to 1966 and as Chancellor from 1970 to 1983. Aged 72 at the end of his chancellorship, he was the oldest acting Chancellor after World War II....
's attacks on Simon Wiesenthal
Simon Wiesenthal
Simon Wiesenthal KBE was an Austrian Holocaust survivor who became famous after World War II for his work as a Nazi hunter....
. On being nominated for President, Fischer said that he hated antagonising people and that he considered this quality an asset rather than anything else.
Second term as President
In April 2010, Fischer was re-elected as President of AustriaAustrian presidential election, 2010
The Austrian presidential election took place on 25 April 2010. It was the twelfth election of an Austrian head of state since 1951. The candidates were Heinz Fischer, Barbara Rosenkranz and Rudolf Gehring . Heinz Fischer won with just under 80% of the valid votes...
, winning a second six-year term in office with almost 79% of the votes with a record-low voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
of merely 53.6%. Around a third of those eligible to vote voted for Fischer, leading the conservative daily Die Presse
Die Presse
Die Presse is an Austrian daily newspaper based in Vienna. It was founded in 1946 by World War II resistance fighter Ernst Molden and stands in tradition of the Viennese newspapers "Die Presse" and "Neue Freie Presse" . The paper covers general news topics...
to describe the election as an "absolute majority for non-voters". The reasons for the low turnout lay in the fact that pollsters had predicted a safe victory for Fischer (Austrian presidents running for a second term of office have always won) and the other big party, ÖVP
People's Party
The People's Party, Peoples Party, or Popular Party, is any of several political parties claiming to speak for the people.People's Parties in various countries run the gamut from left to right...
had not nominated a candidate of their own, and had not endorsed anyone of the three candidates; some prominent persons from ÖVP, inoffically, but in public, even suggested to vote 'null and void', which did some ~7% of the voters.
Personal life
Fischer is an agnosticAgnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
. Fischer has been married since 1968. The couple has two grown children. Fischer enjoys mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and has been president of the Austrian Friends of Nature
Friends of Nature
Friends of Nature is an international movement with a background in the Social Democratic movement, which aims to make nature accessible to the wider community by providing appropriate recreational and travel facilities.-Background:It is a non-profit organisation which, in addition to encouraging...
for many years.
Honours and Awards
- 1993 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicOrder of Merit of the Italian RepublicThe Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
- 2004 Grand Star of Honour of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of AustriaDecoration for Services to the Republic of AustriaThe Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria...
- 2005 Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry
- 2006 Collane of Merit Sovereign Military Order of Malta
- 2006 Grand Cross of the Order of Collane of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
- 2006 Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary
- 2007 Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
- 2007 Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- 2007 Order of the SeraphimOrder of the SeraphimThe Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star...
- 2008 Ring of Honour of the Province of StyriaStyria (state)Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
- 2009 Florianiplakette of the Austrian Federal Fire Association in gold
- 2008 Freedom of the City of GrazGrazThe more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
- 2008 Honorary Doctorate of Law Faculty of the University of Tel Aviv
- 2009 Honorary Doctorate from the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences
- 2009 Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword
External links
- Der Österreichische Bundespräsident/The Austrian Federal President (in GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
) - Personal website (in GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
)