1951: The Political Networks of Former Gauleiter Tobias Portschy

Tobias Portschy (1905–1996) was Gauleiter (district Nazi Party leader) of Burgenland under Nazi rule and, following the dissolution of Burgenland, deputy Gauleiter of Styria. He is considered a key figure in the deprivation of rights, persecution and forced emigration experienced Burgenland’s Jewish and Romani populations. In 1949 a “People’s Court” tribunal sentenced Portschy to 15 years in prison. In 1951 he was given a conditional pardon and released from prison.

Portschy remained well-connected in politics even after his Nazi-era career was over, with the Hotel Rose in Rechnitz, owned by his wife, playing an important role. It was here that he received his guests – including “old Nazis”, neo-Nazis, church officials and politicians. Portschy, who joined the Freedom Party in 1959, was courted by politicians from across the political spectrum. These included the governor of Burgenland, Lorenz Karall (People’s Party; welcomed the “Anschluss” with Nazi Germany in 1938); another governor of Burgenland, Theodor Kery (Socialist Party; former member of the SA and Nazi Party); the deputy governor of Styria, Franz Wegart (People’s Party); and the MP Otto Scrinzi (Federation of Independents/Freedom Party; former member of the SA and Nazi Party). Those paying visits to the former Nazi Gauleiter also included the vice chancellor and then chancellor Adolf Schärf (Socialist Party) and the federal president Alfons Gorbach (People’s Party), both of whom had been persecuted under Nazi rule on political grounds. Now, in the postwar era, they hoped that Portschy’s support would help win votes among former National Socialists. Some of these politicians, such as Johann Karall (member of Burgenland’s provincial parliament, People’s Party) and Franz Wegart (deputy governor of Styria, People’s Party), had spoken in Portschy’s defence at his “People’s Court” trial.

Further information on the Web (in German):

Mindler Ursula, „Portschy ist Burgenländer, ich bin Steirer“, 2006