Friedrich Peter

Friedrich Peter (born July 13, 1921 in Attnang-Puchheim, Upper Austria, died September 25, 2005 in Vienna) was an Austrian politician who served as the chairman of the Freedom Party of Austria from 1958 to 1978.

Support of the SPÖ minority government and the Kreisky-Peter-Wiesenthal Affair

Even though the FPÖ had declared during the election campaign that there would not be a "red chancellor", it supported Bruno Kreisky's minority government after the 1970 elections. This greatly increased the party's significance.

Related Topics:
Chancellor - Bruno Kreisky - Minority government - 1970 elections

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Simon Wiesenthal, at that time head of the Jewish Documentation Center in Vienna, published a report on Friedrich Peter's Nazi past after the 1975 elections. The report documented that Peter had served as Obersturmbannführer in an SS unit involved in mass murder. Chancellor Kreisky, who had himself been persecuted by the Nazis, defended Peter and accused Wiesenthal of employing mafia methods and of collaboration with the Gestapo. This public dispute is remembered as the Kreisky-Peter-Wiesenthal Affair.

Related Topics:
Simon Wiesenthal - 1975 elections - Obersturmbannführer - Mass murder - Mafia - Gestapo - Kreisky-Peter-Wiesenthal Affair

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In 1978, Peter stepped down as party chairman to be succeeded by the mayor of Graz, Alexander Götz. However, he retained control over the party behind the scenes. After the SPÖ had lost its majority in 1983, he negotiated a coalition between SPÖ and FPÖ with Bruno Kreisky, which took office under the leadership of Chancellor Fred Sinowatz (SPÖ) and vice chancellor Norbert Steger. However, he had to decline the offer to take the office of the third president of the Nationalrat after severe public protests, in order not to endanger the coalition.

Related Topics:
1978 - Graz - Alexander Götz - 1983 - Fred Sinowatz - Vice chancellor - Norbert Steger - Nationalrat

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