Adolf Schärf (1890-1965)
Federal President from 1957 to 1965
Born in Nikolsburg, Moravia (now Czech Republic),
Schärf came from a
working class family.In
1899, the Schärfs moved to
Vienna. Schärf studied law but was
called up for military service immediately after
taking his doctorate. He served as
an Austro-Hungarian officer in
the First World War.In 1918, he became private secretary to the Social Democratic Speakers of Parliament, Seitz, Eldersch and Renner.In 1934, he was
arrested. After his release, he opened a legal firm in Vienna. He
was again imprisoned in the Nazi era. In 1945, he
played an essential role in the foundation of the Austrian
Socialist Party (SPÖ), becoming its first postwar chairman. He
served in the Federal Government as Vice-Chancellor
from 1945 to 1957, and as such he vitally contributed to the negotiations leading to the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955. On 5 May 1957, the people of Austria
elected him to the presidency, and he was
re-elected for a second term of office on 28 April 1963. Dr.Schärf
died on 28 February 1965.
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