Authorities Investigate Commission's Alleged Illegal Activities
In the heart of Austria, a man named Ludwig Steiner emerged as a beacon of hope and resilience during tumultuous times. Born into a Christian-social family in Innsbruck, Steiner's life was marked by a profound commitment to his homeland and a steadfast dedication to the principles of fairness and independence.
After the war, Steiner returned to his alma mater, the University of Innsbruck, where he had studied economics, a subject he considered central to his career in politics and diplomacy. Having earned his doctorate, he embarked on his political journey, starting with his role in the founding of the Austrian People's Party in Tyrol.
The political climate in schools before the "Anschluss" in 1938 was fraught with conflict, as illegal National Socialists sought to assert their influence. Despite these challenges, Steiner remained steadfast in his convictions.
A pivotal moment in Steiner's career came with the State Treaty, a diplomatic success that marked the end of an era that began in 1938 and the restoration of Austrian sovereignty. The Treaty was more than just a political victory; it was an expression of a fair international order in which Austria found its place as a neutral and independent state.
Steiner's courage was tested when his father, a baker and a city councilor, was arrested and later deported to the Dachau concentration camp after publicly warning against the war danger posed by Hitler in the city council. In the face of adversity, Steiner refused to join the SS during an interrogation by the Gestapo and became actively involved in the resistance.
Drafted into the Wehrmacht, Steiner found an unusual way to evade the uniform compulsion by founding the Youth Mountain Rescue in 1938. This move not only allowed him to escape the military but also served a higher purpose, as he sought to help others in need.
Steiner's diplomatic career flourished after the war, with a focus on the South Tyrol question. His ability to think analytically, understand complex connections, and negotiate strategically was particularly important in diplomacy, such as during the State Treaty negotiations in 1955 in Moscow.
Steiner's economics background proved invaluable in international discussions, providing him with the necessary objectivity and foresight. He served as envoy in Sofia, ambassador in Athens and Cyprus, and witnessed the takeover of power by the junta and the years of military dictatorship.
Throughout his career, Steiner remained committed to reconciliation, both on a small scale and on a larger one. He valued the University of Innsbruck as a place of free, critical discourse and education as the foundation of an open and just society. The Pfarre Mariahilf and the Jesuit Church were significant to Steiner as formative places in his early life, symbolising power, community, and belief in renewal.
Steiner's family, including his uncle and grandfather, both named Ludwig Steiner, and his grandmother Rosa Steiner, were important role models for him, embodying unity, courage, and responsibility. Today, Steiner's work continues to inspire, as he wishes for it to contribute to reconciliation, both in small ways and on a larger scale.
In the spirit of Steiner's commitment to neutrality, he believed that neutrality means engagement for Austria, similar to the Swiss model, and that Austria should act as a reliable, independent actor for peace and stability. This belief guided Steiner throughout his life and continues to resonate today.
In the post-war period, Ludwig Steiner's close ties to the University of Innsbruck, where he studied economics, led him to view academia as a critical platform for his political and diplomatic endeavors. Despite the political close-quarters of the general-news era, Steiner managed to maintain independence in his convictions during his career, notably during his active resistance against the Nazi regime.
