Celebrate and reflect – Former Federal President Heinz Fischer turns 85

His second term as head of state ended seven years ago. Things have calmed down a bit for the longtime politician since then, but he hasn’t completely withdrawn from the public eye. Fischer repeatedly comments on or evaluates current political events, as human coexistence is, according to his own statement, “an ongoing interest.”

From time to time, Fischer speaks out on issues relevant to Democratic policy. This year, for example, in the discussion about whether the President of the National Council can be voted out or in the issue of the future chain of command in the judiciary. He also publicly supported former party leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner in the open power struggle for the SPÖ chairmanship. This participation is unlikely to change so quickly in the future, as the celebrant is seen as the prototype of a full-blooded politician.

Politics was born in the cradle
He was more or less born into politics, as the Graz native comes from a social democratic family. His father, Rudolf Fischer, was State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade in Julius Raab’s cabinet from 1954 to 1956.

After graduating from high school in Hietzing, Fischer himself studied law at the University of Vienna, where he received his doctorate in law in 1961. A year later, the then 24-year-old caused a stir not only in academic circles by initiating the “Borodajkewycz case”. Fischer published university notes by Ferdinand Lacina, which revealed the anti-Semitic statements of the historian Taras Borodajkewycz, after which Fischer was charged and convicted at first instance in 1963. However, in 1965 he managed to reopen the trial, which ended in acquittal. Ultimately, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against Borodajkewycz at the University of World Trade.

Fischer started his political career in 1962 as an employee of the Social Democratic parliamentary group. In addition to his political activities, he continued his academic career. He completed his habilitation in 1978 and was eventually appointed professor of political science at the University of Innsbruck in 1994.

Twice elected Federal President
When Bruno Kreisky won an absolute majority in 1971, Fischer was given a mandate in the National Council, of which he was a member until 2004, with the exception of his time as Minister of Science (1983-1987). In 1975 he became acting SPÖ club chairman and two years later deputy party chairman.

In 1990 he was elected chairman of the Austrian National Council. Fischer held this position until 2002. From 2002 to 2004 – during Black-Blue II – he served as second chairman of the National Council before running for president. In 1992 he was also elected vice-chairman of the Party of European Socialists. He held this position until his election as Federal President.

In April 2004, Fischer defeated ÖVP candidate Benita Ferrero-Waldner with 52.4 percent of the vote and was sworn in as the eighth Federal President of the Second Republic on July 8. Upon taking office, he suspended his party membership. On April 25, 2010, Fischer was finally confirmed for another six years with 79.3 percent of the vote.

As he revealed to the news magazine “News” in an interview about his upcoming anniversary, birthdays, according to Fischer, play “no special role” in his life: “But the 70s, the 80s, the 85s, those are dates when you talks about his life, about the family, about the development of our society and civilization. Human coexistence is an ongoing interest of mine, not just on birthdays.”