Meithner-Kühnel Group Gruppe Meithner-Kühnel

The Meithner-Kühnel group, which initially formed around the former trade inspector Otto Kühnel, was rather small in number and was led by university professor Karl Meithner. Its roots stretched back to 1938 and its members were mainly recruited from graduates of the Vienna University of World Trade (now the Vienna University of Economics and Business). This Catholic-oriented group supported families of victims of the Nazi regime with donations and maintained contact with the communists in Vienna-Ottakring.

The Gestapo struck at the beginning of 1940. Karl Meithner was sentenced to six years in prison for "preparation for high treason". He died in prison on December 13, 1942. Max Gererstorfer, a member of the K.a.V. Bajuvaria, now took over the leadership of the group. Under his leadership, it expanded its activities to Croatia and Belgium. Gererstorfer was killed in April 1945 near Schwechat when he tried to establish a connection to the Red Army.

The following belonged or had contact with this group:

• Eduard Chaloupka, member of K.Ö.St.V. Frankonia-Wien, K.Ö.St.V. Kreuzenstein-Wien, K.a.V. Bajuvaria, K.a.V. Danubia, K.Ö.H.V. Pannonia, K.Ö.H.V. Mercuria, Ö.k.a.V. Rhaeto-Danubia, A.V. Austria Innsbruck, K.Ö.H.V. Rugia, K.Ö.H.V. Amelungia, K.Ö.H.V. Nordgau Wien and K.Ö.L. Maximiliana
• Hans Dorrek, member of K.St.V. Rhenania-Wien, K.M.V. Lützow-Leoben, K.Ö.St.V. Frankonia-Wien, K.Ö.St.V. Nibelungia-Knittelfeld, K.Ö.M.L. Normannia-Graz, K.Ö.St.V. Kreuzenstein-Wien, K.Ö.St.V. Gothia-Althofen, K.a.V. Bajuvaria, K.Ö.St.V. Kristall and the K.Ö.B. Spanheim-Klagenfurt
• Ernst Krumhaar, member of the K.Ö.St.V. Nibelungia
• Karl Plankensteiner, member of K.Ö.St.V. Hilaria-Enns and K.H.V. Babenberg Wien
• Felix Romanik, member of K.Ö.St.V. Ostaricia-Vienna, K.Ö.St.V. Vindobona I-Vienna, K.Ö.St.V. Herulia-Vienna, K.M.V. Leopoldina-Gmünd, K.Ö.St.V. Vindobona II-Vienna, K.a.V. Bajuvaria and K.Ö.H.V. Mercuria
• Robert Steyskal, member of K.a.V. Norica
• Gustav Ziegler, member of the K.St.V. Rhenania-Wien