Austrian People's Party Österreichische Volkspartei

The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) was founded on April 17, 1945 in Vienna's Schottenstift (Schottenhof, 1st district). Bezirk) in Vienna by Leopold Kunschak (chairman), Hans Pernter (executive party chairman), Lois Weinberger, Leopold Figl, Julius Raab and Felix Hurdes (Secretary General).

The new party was founded on the basis of a covenant structure. Even before the ÖVP, the Workers' and Employees' Federation (ÖAAB) and Farmers' Federation (BB) (also apostrophized as the "cradle of the ÖVP") were founded in April 1945, followed by the Wirtschaftsbund (WB) at the beginning of May. Five days before the ÖVP was founded, the Red Army had marched into Vienna.

In mid-June, the federal ÖVP formulated its "15 programmatic guiding principles", in September it completed the generational change at its top: Leopold Figl became federal party chairman, Leopold Kunschak honorary chairman.

On 20 October 1945, the Renner government was recognized by the Western Allies. Shortly afterwards, it called elections to the National Council. In the election campaign, the ÖVP positioned itself as "the Austrian party" with the national colors, in the pioneering and rebuilding spirit, decidedly anti-Marxist. With 49.8 percent of the valid votes and 85 seats, the ÖVP won an absolute majority. On the basis of this election result, Leopold Figl once again formed a concentration government (instead of a possible sole government), which, in addition to seven ÖVP members, included five SPÖ members (Vice-Chancellor: Adolf Schärf), but only one KPÖ member.

The first federal party conference of the ÖVP took place on April 18, 1947 in the Vienna Konzerthaus. The ÖVP clearly stated that it was a new party and not a successor party. It defined itself as a party of solidarism. Solidarity does not want a uniformity, neither red nor brown, neither spiritual nor social nor political, no, but is based on the principle of the self-evident freedom of the individual, taking into account the sacred obligation of every single person to grant their neighbor the same right that they claim for themselves (Leopold Figl). At this party conference, Leopold Figl was elected Federal Party Chairman. Ten of the 15 members of the federal party executive were imprisoned in concentration camps during the Nazi era. Some of the remaining five suffered severe disadvantages, had to leave their homeland or give up their profession.

Since then, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) has been one of Austria's main political parties. It has its headquarters at Lichtenfelsgasse 7 in Vienna's 1st district.