Dr. Karl Mattes

Karl Mattes graduated from Hollabrunn grammar school in 1927 and initially enrolled for one semester each at the Faculty of Theology and the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Vienna. In 1928, he joined the Aargau student fraternity. He then changed faculties and turned to studying law, which he completed in 1933 with a doctorate in law. After practising in court, he was accepted into the Lower Austrian civil service in 1934 and assigned to the Hollabrunn District Court.

The transfer to the Zwettl District Court planned for March 1938 was thwarted by the Anschluss. Karl Mattes is relieved of his duties in May 1938 and proceedings are initiated "concerning his performance of duties before the Anschluss", which end in November 1938 with his dismissal. Prior to this, a ban on residence in the districts of Hollabrunn, Horn and Mistelbach had already been imposed in October. From the end of 1939 until May 1941, Karl Mattes was employed by the Kompaß auditing company in Vienna until the National Socialist Law Enforcement Association prohibited him from working for this company for political reasons.

From 1941, Karl Mattes was placed under police surveillance and served a twenty-day remand period. Although he was initially declared unfit for military service, he was drafted into military service in July 1944 and was taken a Soviet prisoner of war towards the end of the war. Due to an inability to work as a result of serious illness, he was released early in August 1945 and reinstated in the provincial service after his return home.

From October 1945, Karl Mattes worked at the Mistelbach district authority, which he headed as district governor from April 1946 until the end of 1956. Karl Mattes was appointed head of the Lower Austrian agricultural district authority at the beginning of 1957, a position he held until his death. 1960-1965 he is also mayor of the municipality of Pulkau (district of Hollabrunn) in Lower Austria.