Georg Seidl

Georg Seidl, the son of small farmers in north-eastern Lower Austria, joined the army in 1915 (ultimately becoming a lieutenant) after graduating from the Jesuit grammar school in Mariaschein (Bohosudov/North Bohemia) in December 1914. He began studying philosophy in 1918 and joined the Norica student fraternity in 1918. He subsequently dropped out of his philosophy studies and a subsequent agricultural course at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences.

In 1924, he took over the family farm in Gaubitsch, Lower Austria, following the death of his brother. He became a local councillor, deputy mayor from 1929-1936 and finally mayor of Gaubitsch from 1936-1938. From 1930-1934 he was a member of the National Council, in 1931 he became chairman of the Lower Austrian dairy cooperative and from 1934-1938 a member of the Federal Economic Council and was active on the board of the Lower Austrian Farmers' Association. The reserve officer was also involved in the homeland defense.

After the Anschluss in 1938, he was imprisoned for four days in the Laa an der Thaya district court and interrogated several times by the Gestapo. During the Nazi era, he remained in contact with other members of the Norica student fraternity such as Leopold Figl and Julius Raab.

1945-1956 he was again a member of the National Council, 1945-1965 member of the Presidium of the Lower Austrian Farmers' Association and from 1949 Chairman of the Lower Austrian Dairy Association.