Paul Scherpon (1890–1970)

Born in Vienna, from 1933 onwards Paul Scherpon was a senior public servant in the Dollfuss-Schuschnigg dictatorship in the Amstetten district administration. There, until shortly before the “Anschluss”, he endeavoured to suppress illegal Nazi Party activities.

Following the Nazis’ seizure of power, he remained a senior public servant, joined the Nazi Party and worked in its administration. He was involved in the persecution of local Romani people and warned other authorities about the growing sympathy among the population for Jewish forced labourers. When the war ended, Scherpon was removed from office. In autumn 1945 he joined the Socialist Party. From 1955 to 1965 he served as a local councillor for the Socialist Party and was second deputy mayor of Amstetten.