Hofrat Dr. Adolf Vinzenz Josef Proksch
Personalia
Born:
Died:
Profession:
Persecution:
Imprisonment 13.03.1938 - 02.04.1938,
Dachau concentration camp 02.04.1938 - 18.01.1939
KZ Number:
Memberships
Curriculum Vitae
Adolf Proksch was born in Olmütz in Moravia [today: Olomouc in the Czech Republic], the son of the professional officer of the same name, Adolf Proksch. After attending the Theresianisches Gymnasium and the I. Handelsakademie, where he graduated, he received his doctorate from the Faculty of Law at the University of Vienna in 1910. Initially working as a businessman for the company Rosario Currò Trieste, Adolf Proksch worked as an employee at Siemens-Schuckert-Werke in Vienna from 1914. At the beginning of the war, he did his military service on the 'Home Front': He enlisted as a one-year volunteer and was assigned to the k.u.k. Field Howitzer Regiment 'Freiherr von Krobatin' No. 8. After several assignments, Proksch was appointed War Economy Commissioner on April 13, 1918 and assigned to Department 10/KW of the War Ministry. Adolf Proksch married Sabine Hagenauer during the war on July 27, 1916. The couple had four children together: Johannes (1918-2018), Christoph (1920-1941), Adolf (1921-2017) and Elisabeth (1928-2018), of whom Christoph died in Cherkassy in Ukraine in 1941.
[...]
As the son of an old Austrian officer, I was brought up to be an Austrian patriot. The family principles were consolidated during my grammar school years at the Theresian Academy in Vienna. Throughout my life, especially since the rise of Hitler, I have always stood up for my Austrian fatherland and against Greater German politics.
From 1933 onwards, I was on the front line against National Socialism. I always stood up for an independent, democratic Austria, aware of its historical task, in word and deed, was one of the first to follow Dollfuss' call when the VF was still far from being a public body and was then in constant open conflict with National Socialism until the collapse of the Third Reich. For example, on the day Dollfuss was assassinated, I went with a handful of like-minded people to stand up to a Nazi horde at the Volkstheater. As an official of the VF in the years 1934 - 1938, I also repeatedly stood up for Austria's freedom and independence against the ideas and goals of National Socialism in public propaganda - in newspapers and brochures - but above all economically without restraint. Numerous propaganda campaigns, marches, etc. were made possible by my activities. Chancellor Schuschnigg recognized this at Christmas 1936 by personally presenting me with the Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Austrian Order of Merit.
On March 12, 1938, Adolf Proksch witnessed the demise of free and independent Austria with the invasion and occupation of his home country by the German Wehrmacht. He was arrested by the Gestapo on March 13, 1938 and deported to the Dachau concentration camp on April 2, 1938 on the so-called 'Prominent Transport'. He was released from there on January 14, 1939.
After his release from the concentration camp, it was very difficult for Adolf Proksch to find a job in the private sector. Eventually, he became a salesman for office machines. In order to be able to support his family financially, he had to gradually sell all his properties for less than they were worth.
Adolf Proksch was drafted into military service as an administrative officer in Stockerau in the fall of 1939 at the latest and was given the rank of Oberzahlmeister d.R. (of the reserve; equivalent to a first lieutenant in the Wehrmacht).
Citations
Wiener Stadt- und Landesarchiv (WStLA)
Österreichisches Staatsarchiv (ÖStA)
Dokumentationsarchiv des österreichischen Widerstands (DÖW)
Provenienzforschung unter provenienzforschung.gv.at/beiratsbeschluesse/Proksch_Adolf_2022-03-30.pdf
Friedhöfe Wien - Verstorbenensuche
