Already in 2016, the Historical Federal Army Commission recommended renaming the air base “Brumowski” in Langelebarn (Lower Austria) due to the questionable history of Godwin Brumowski during the civil war in the 1930s. A name combination has now been decided.
The Brumowski Air Base in Langenlebarn will be given a new name: “Leopold Figl Air Base – General Pabisch Airfield”. This means that for the first time the military property in the Tulln district will have a double name, named after prominent personalities and military officers of the Second Republic, with an important connection to the Federal Army. Dr. Leopold Figl and General Othmar Pabisch are considered historically important and deserving namesakes for the location with a connection to the region. Both personalities have a close bond with Tullnerfeld.
“The history of the republic is linked to that of military aviation”
“By combining these names, we have managed to connect the history and founding of our republic with the history of military aviation in the 2nd Republic,” explains Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP).
Leopold Figl was born in 1902 in Rust im Tullnerfeld. Shortly after Austria joined the German Empire, he was deported to the Dachau concentration camp on one of the first ‘celebrity transports’. After being temporarily released in 1943, he was imprisoned again for his illegal activities related to his attempts to create political structures for the post-Nazi regime, and was sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp. In 1945, Figl witnessed the end of the war and the liberation of Vienna on death row at the Vienna Regional Court.
Decisive for the establishment of the army
The ÖVP politician was the first chancellor of the Second Republic in 1945. In 1955, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he signed the State Treaty for Austria. Figl was especially crucial for the development, reconstruction and therefore for the history of Austria and for the creation of the Austrian Federal Army.
The second namesake, which is of historical importance for the air base, is Pabisch. He was born in Vienna, attended the military academy in Enns in 1956 and was admitted to the first year of the military academy in 1957. In 1959 he was voted best in his class. In the same year he started training as a military pilot in Zeltweg.
Commander of the largest squadron and pope pilot
This was followed by a steep career with numerous leading roles: commander of the 3rd company of the training battalion of the aviation forces in Hörsching, general staff officer of the aviation brigade in Langenlebarn, commander of the largest squadron of the aviation forces, the 1st helicopter squadron of the 1st aviation regiment in Langenlebarn, head of airspace security and deputy commander of the army command operations center in Vienna and chief of staff of the aviation brigade.
He also played a key role in the reorganization of the aviation division. From July 1975 to 1985, he served as Chief of Staff of the Aviation Division and was largely responsible for the tactical and operational management of the Aviation Forces. Pabisch was commander of the air division in Langenlebarn from March 1985 to November 1998. The trained operational pilot completed more than 5,000 hours of flight time during his service and also flew state guests in Austria, including Pope John Paul II during his 1983 visit to Austria aboard an AB-212.
Source: Krone
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