Rudolf Prikryl
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Prikryl was the provisionally-instated mayor
of Vienna
from 13 April to 16 April 1945, and is remembered as the "three days' mayor" .
Prikryl was born in Vienna, grew up in Alsergrund
, and became a plumber
's assistant. He served in the First World War, and married for the first time, getting divorced soon after. In the 1930s, he left his second wife and their two children and travelled to France
, continuing on to Spain
in 1938. He fought in the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War
against the Franco
regime, and was injured. There is no reliable information about his movements in the time thereafter.
At the end of the Second World War, he was back in Vienna, and was apparently recognised by a Soviet officer alongside whom he had fought in Spain. This chance meeting resulted in him being made mayor, although the exact reasoning remains unclear. Although being Vienna's only communist mayor, the Communist Party of Austria
never acknowledged Prikryl as a member.
His time as mayor saw no practical policy decisions, instead concentrating on bureaucratic tasks, chiefly giving out permissions of various kinds. On 17 April he was replaced by Theodor Körner.
Prikryl later married again, and started a plumbing firm, which later went bankrupt. He died in Vienna in poverty, and was buried in a grave of honour in Vienna's Zentralfriedhof
.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of 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...
from 13 April to 16 April 1945, and is remembered as the "three days' mayor" .
Prikryl was born in Vienna, grew up in Alsergrund
Alsergrund
Alsergrund is the ninth district of Vienna, Austria . It is located just north of the first, central district, Innere Stadt. Alsergrund was incorporated in 1862, with seven suburbs. The area is densely populated, with a lot of government-built housing. According to the census of 2001, there were...
, and became a plumber
Plumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
's assistant. He served in the First World War, and married for the first time, getting divorced soon after. In the 1930s, he left his second wife and their two children and travelled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, continuing on to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1938. He fought in the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
against the Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
regime, and was injured. There is no reliable information about his movements in the time thereafter.
At the end of the Second World War, he was back in Vienna, and was apparently recognised by a Soviet officer alongside whom he had fought in Spain. This chance meeting resulted in him being made mayor, although the exact reasoning remains unclear. Although being Vienna's only communist mayor, the Communist Party of Austria
Communist Party of Austria
The Communist Party of Austria is a communist party based in Austria. Established in 1918, it was banned between 1933 and 1945 under both the Austrofascist regime, and German control of Austria during World War II...
never acknowledged Prikryl as a member.
His time as mayor saw no practical policy decisions, instead concentrating on bureaucratic tasks, chiefly giving out permissions of various kinds. On 17 April he was replaced by Theodor Körner.
Prikryl later married again, and started a plumbing firm, which later went bankrupt. He died in Vienna in poverty, and was buried in a grave of honour in Vienna's Zentralfriedhof
Zentralfriedhof
The Zentralfriedhof is one of the largest cemeteries in the world, largest by number of interred in Europe and most famous cemetery among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries.-Name and location:...
.
External links
- www.datum.at - Portrait of Rudolf Prikryl in the magazine DatumDatum (magazine)Datum is an Austrian monthly magazine.Founded in 2004 by journalist Klaus Stimeder and businessman Hannes Weyringer, Datum is published by the Association to Promote Quality Journalism eleven times a year. The circulation is 10.000 copies...
- www.wien.gv.at - Calendar of events in Vienna during April 1945