Körner, Theodor Edler von Siegringen

Korner Theodor von Körner was born at Komorn in Hungary on 24th April 1873 as the son of Theodor Karl von Körner, who was a captain of artillery stationed there, and his wife Karoline Fousek. At the age of ten years he entered the Military High-school at Mährisch-Weisskirchen and went thence to the Technical-Military Academy in Vienna, receiving a commission in the Klosterneuberger Pioneers in 1894. He was a staff captain at the age of 26 years, a lieutenant-colonel at the beginning of the 1st World War and later became Chief of Staff on the Isonzo front. At the end of the War he became head of a bureau at the War Ministry charged with the re-organisation of the army of the 1st Republic and he ended his active military career as a general and Inspector of the Army. When he retired in 1924 he joined the Social Democratic Party and in 1925 became its delegate from Vienna to the Federal Council. He was President of this Council when it was dissolved by Dollfuss in February 1934 and spent the remainder of that year in prison. From his release in 1935 to the end of the 2nd World War he lived quietly in Vienna, but upon the liberation of that city in 1945 he became its Burgermaster in Mid-April of that year and it was mainly due to his initiative that the city made such a remarkable recovery. Upon the death of President Renner he was the Social Democratic Party candidate for the Presidency and was elected on the second ballot on 27th May 1951 as 2nd President of the 2nd Austrian Republic. He died in office on 4th January 1957 having contributed greatly to his country's political stability.

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