People may forget that Austria had a hard right wing government in the early 1930s that took on constitutionally questionable authoritarian powers. How does a veteran of that go on to big political power after Nazi defeat and under Soviet occupation. Turns out that the German Nazis twice sending you to a concentration camp gives a lot of credibility. The still conservative outside Vienna Austrians needing a voice also helped. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
It is interesting to me that Austria chose to put former Chancellor Leopold Figl on one of the two stamps honoring 25 years after the second republic. The other showed Belvedere Palace, the Chancellor’s official residence. The early post war years were not just difficult materially, but one of diplomatic maneuvering trying to end the multinational occupation. So perhaps the doer stamp images are reflective.
Todays stamp is issue A319, a two shilling stamp issued by Austria on April 27, 1970. It was a two stamp issue. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.
During the interwar first republic, Austria’s many parties figured out how to share power. The biggest vote total party would chose the Chancellor and many deputies would be from other parties. Chancellor Engebert Dolfuss was far right wing and found a way to consolidate power. A close vote in parliament caused several of the deputies to resign so they could cast a vote. Three days after the vote they were informed by the state police that their resignations were permanent and the government had decided not to replace them. Dolfuss then set out rounding up communists and Austrian Nazis that favored union with Germany. During this period Figl was assisting and being mentored by Dolfuss. Rounding up Nazis proved problematic as their henchmen soon assassinated Dolfuss, despite him being quite right wing. Lesson learned by Figl, keep your opponents in the room.
After the union with Nazi Germany, Figl was twice sent to concentration camps. In early1945, he was sent to Vienna to face trial for treason. Before that could happen, the Soviets occupied Vienna and freed Figl. The local Soviet military commander then appointed Figl in charge of civilian food distribution, finding him easy to work with. In December 1945, there was an election, the first since 1930, and the more conservative party got the most votes. A majority in Parliment meant Figl could have formed a united government. Instead he chose to bring in the Socialists and even the Communists into the government. The Nazis themselves were of course banned. The united front was in a good position to work to end the military occupation though Stalin was slow walking it.
The military withdrawal finally happened in 1955 and Parliament then declared Austria neutral. Figl was now free to return to very right wing Lower Austria as governor. He died in 1965.
Well my drink is empty and I am tempted to toast Mr. Figl. I think I will pass on it, despite my thirst, because I wonder if he could have thought bigger and got the whole of old Austria Hungary united, neutral, unoccupied and prosperous 35 years earlier. That would have been worth a toast. Come again soon for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.