Josef Vinzenz Zwiauer

Josef Vinzenz Zwiauer was born in Vienna as the legitimate son of the worker Johann and Hedwig, née Schädl. After elementary school, he attended lower secondary school and then the teacher training college in Vienna's 3rd district, where he graduated in 1909. He passed his teaching exam in 1912 and then taught at various schools. As a soldier, he went off to fight in the First World War in 1915, but returned home in November 1918. On his return, he became a teacher at the Hebbelplatz secondary school in Vienna's 10th district, where he was promoted to principal in 1935.

In this function, Josef Zwiauer witnessed the downfall of a free and independent Austria with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht on March 12, 1938. He was suspended from duty on March 18, 1938 and dismissed on May 31, 1938 through forced retirement. He had to support himself and his family on a very small pension. When he refuses to hand over his children to the Kinderlandverschickung in 1944, he and his family are forced to move to Goggitsch in the Weinviertel. He received his call-up order on March 19, 1945, deserted on April 2, 1945 and was able to spend the last days of the war hiding with his wife's relatives.

It took some time, but on March 1, 1946, Josef Zwiauer was rehabilitated and appointed principal of the Quellenstraße 31 secondary school in Vienna's 10th district. He held this position until his retirement in 1949.