Fred Sinowatz

Fred Sinowatz (born February 5, 1929 in Neufeld an der Leitha, Burgenland) is a former Austrian politician of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs, SPÖ). He was Chancellor of Austria from 1983 to 1986.

Sinowatz's Chancellorship

After the SPÖ had lost its absolute majority in 1983 and Kreisky resigned as chancellor, Sinowatz reluctantly took up the position of head of the Austrian government. He joined a coalition, initiated by Kreisky, with the Austrian Freedom Party (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ) which was then run by liberals.

Related Topics:
Lost its absolute majority in 1983 - Austrian Freedom Party - Liberals

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In autumn 1983, he also succeeded Kreisky as chairman of the SPÖ.

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In late 1984 came the severe internal crisis of the "Occupation of the Hainburg Floodplain" by thousands of people protesting against the building of a power station there. Sinowatz managed to calm both sides by announcing a "Christmas peace" on December 22, 1984, following considerable pressure from the public.

Related Topics:
1984 - Hainburg - Power station - December 22

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In spite of this, his period of office is not considered to have been successful. It started with the Wine Scandal, then a scandal concerning the construction of the new General Hospital of Vienna, and in particular the crisis of the increasing debts of nationalized industry, above all the Voest-Alpine AG, an industrial concern based in Linz.

Related Topics:
Wine Scandal - Vienna - Nationalized - Voest-Alpine AG - Linz

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Since Sinowatz's manner was not very typical of that of politicians, he often earned pitiful smiles, for example when he said that "everything is very complicated" ("es ist alles sehr kompliziert").

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Close to the end of his period in office, he also came under pressure after defense minister Friedhelm Frischenschlager of his coalition partner, the Freedom Party, officially went to meet Walter Reder, a war criminal who had been imprisoned in Italy since World War II, upon Reder's return to Austria.

Related Topics:
Friedhelm Frischenschlager - Walter Reder - War criminal - Italy - World War II

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