Eduard Strauß

Eduard Strauß was born as the son of a goldsmith and completed the real school in 1912. He then studies at the k. k. Exportakademie (latere Hochschule für Welthandel or Wirtschaftsuniversität) as well as at the Faculty of Law of the University of Vienna, without, however, completing a degree. He is already in service in 1913 of the State Inspectorate for Trade Promotion of the Lower Austrian Government.

In the First World War, Eduard Strauß is in operation at the K. u.k. army and in Wolhynien as well as at the Isonzo or at the Piave (Last rank: Lieutenant of the Reserve). After the war, he is engaged in the Christian-Social Party, becomes the commander of the district of Vienna-Neubau and member of the Vienna Party Board.

His further career takes place in the shadow of Eduard Heinl. In 1919 he became a consulent of the Business Promotion Institute of the Vienna Chamber of Trade, Industry and Industry, whose head is Heinl. In 1921, Eduard Strauss is present at the foundation of Wiener Messe AG, whose Supervisory Boards and/or Member of the Board. From 1921 to 1938 he is also managing director of the main association of the Vienna trade fair interests. In 1936 he became director of the Business Promotion Institute, and in early 1938 he became director for a short time.

From 1933, Eduard Strauß is engaged in the fatherland front. He is hereby appointed a member of the Federal Economic Council as a representative of the Unselves of the Industrial and Mining Group, to which he belongs from 1 November 1934 until 12 March 1938.

After joining in March 1938, Eduard Strauß is dismissed by all functions and retired by half at the end of August 1938 with a reduction in remuneration. Until September 1939, he is unemployed, after which he is employed in the “Kaufhaus der Wiener” (formerly Gerngroß). Because of his anti-national socialist attitude, he is rejected by the German Wehrmacht, but moved to the Volkssturm in January 1945.

After the war, Eduard Strauß is engaged in the ÖVP and the Economic Federation. He is commissioned by the Provisional State Government to rebuild the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, whose Secretary General he was in 1945/46. The same applies to the Industrial Promotion Institute, whose director is from 1946 to 1949 and which he reorganizes in the Economic Promotion Institute (WIFI) of the Chamber of Commerce.

In 1945, Eduard Strauß will again become the Supervisory Board of Wiener Messe AG, whose president he is the successor of Heinl from 1957 until his death.