Heinz Fischer | |
---|---|
11th President of Austria | |
In office 8 July 2004 – 8 July 2016 |
|
Chancellor |
Wolfgang Schüssel Alfred Gusenbauer Werner Faymann Reinhold Mitterlehner (Acting) Christian Kern |
Preceded by |
Acting Presidium Thomas Klestil |
Succeeded by |
Acting Presidium Alexander Van der Bellen |
President of the National Council | |
In office 5 November 1990 – 20 December 2002 |
|
Preceded by | Rudolf Pöder |
Succeeded by | Andreas Khol |
Personal details | |
Born |
Graz, Germany (now Austria) |
9 October 1938
Political party |
Social Democratic Party (Before 2004) Independent (2004–2016) |
Spouse(s) | Margit Binder |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | University of Vienna |
Website | Official website |
Heinz Fischer GColIH (German pronunciation: [haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ]; born 9 October 1938) is an Austrian politician. He took office as President of Austria on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010, leaving office on 8 July 2016. Fischer previously served as Minister of Science from 1983 to 1987 and as President of the National Council of Austria from 1990 to 2002. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), he suspended his party membership for the duration of his presidency.
Fischer was born in Graz, Styria, which had recently become part of Nazi Germany, following Germany’s annexation of Austria in March 1938. Fischer attended a grammar school which focused on humanities and graduated 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.
Fischer was a member of the Austrian parliament, the National Council, from 1971, and served as its president from 1990 to 2002. From 1983 to 1987 he was Minister of Science in a coalition government headed by Fred Sinowatz.