Dr. Norbert Bettelheim

Norbert Bettelheim was born in Mödling near Vienna as the only son alongside two sisters of the Jewish couple, the director of Röhrenwalzwerke Albert Hahn, Bernhard Bettelheim and Berta, née Brünner. After elementary school, he attended the Akademisches Gymnasium in Vienna's 1st district, where he graduated in 1912. In the same year, he enrolled in law at the University of Vienna, joined the Corps Raetia Wien, was drafted into the war and mustered out as an officer. In March 1918, he is awarded a doctorate in law, converts to the Protestant faith A.B. and becomes a member of the student fraternity Corps Marchia Wien. In 1918 he marries Maxymiliane Maria Brüll-Neuda. In 1919 his son Walter Botho is born. In 1925, Norbert Bettelheim fell seriously ill with Basedow's disease, which would remain with him for the rest of his life.

After Norbert Bettelheim set up his own business as a lawyer, his second son Werner Hanns was born in 1928. A staunch opponent of National Socialism, in July 1934 he actively participated in the Fatherland Associations in the suppression of the National Socialist coup attempt, during which Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß was murdered. As a member of the Vaterländische Front, he is legal advisor to the Wieden local group and also syndic of the Reichsbund der Österreicher. His son Walter Botho died in December 1934.

On March 12, 1938, he witnessed the demise of a free and independent Austria with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht. With the occupation of Austria, German legislation was adopted and with it the 'Nuremberg Race Laws', according to which Norbert Bettelheim was considered a 'full Jew'. On December 31, 1938, he was removed from the list of lawyers by the new rulers due to his Jewish descent.

Immediately afterwards, at the beginning of January 1939, Norbert Bettelheim fled Austria with his family and arrived in France on January 27, 1939. The family stayed in Paris until April 1, 1939 before settling in Auxerre. The family was able to survive solely thanks to donations from a committee of exiles. With the invasion of Poland and the associated outbreak of World War II, Norbert Bettelheim immediately volunteered to join the French army to fight for Austria's freedom.

However, all German speakers in France were interned for the time being and the Bettelheim family was taken to the Marmagne camp, a small village near Montbard, from October 29, 1939. They were transferred from this detention camp to the Vernet camp in July 1940 and to the Cortus detention camp near Cahors in August. In September 1940, they were released and Norbert Bettelheim re-enlisted for military service, but was invalided out at the end of September 1940 due to another outbreak of Basedow's disease. On February 10, 1941, his wife Maxymiliane died in exile in France.

Norbert Bettelheim suffered from another outbreak of Graves' disease until 1942. When he was cured, he joined the Résistance under the commander of the Dordogne-South group, General Bernard. In Faux, he took an active part in actions against the German occupying forces.

In France, Norbert Bettelheim experienced the liberation of Austria in 1945. In March 1946, he returned to Austria with his son and immediately resumed work as a lawyer. Norbert Bettelheim reactivated his student fraternities. In 1948, he joins the ÖVP-Kameradschaft der politisch Verfolgten und Bekenner für Österreich. Norbert Bettelheim subsequently became one of the pillars of his student fraternity.

He retired as a lawyer and died in Vienna at the age of 77.