Manfred Straka (1911–1990)

Even before the Nazi movement started to gain strength in Austria, Straka was a champion of the German-national policy of Volkstum (“ethnicity”) towards Germans living abroad. He was particularly involved in the political radicalisation of the German-speaking population in Slovenia. The historian worked as a teacher at a private Protestant school. After the outbreak of war he volunteered for military service and, following the occupation of Slovenian areas, assumed primary responsibility for organising a Nazi-German secondary school system that would “Germanise” Slovenian-speaking children. 

After time spent as a prisoner of war and some years in Germany, in 1951 Straka returned to Austria, where he was free to work as a teacher. From 1971 onwards, the provincial government of Styria appointed him to run several of the province’s historical institutions, allowing him to steer research questions towards his nationalist worldview. Straka became an influential figure in regional studies, published standard reference works, and was the recipient of several honours.