Alfons Benedikter
Encyclopedia
Alfons Benedikter was one of the most renowned politicians in South Tyrol
. For 50 years he has been a member of the provincial parliament and for 40 years he acted as a member of the regional government of the region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and later the provincial government of South Tyrol
. He had a decisive role in elaborating and implementing the autonomy of the province.
fascist oppression and discrimination policy towards the German
national minority in his home village of Schlanders
. He was educated in law and Russian at the University of Naples
from which he graduated in 1940. During the tragic period of the so-called “Option
” in 1939 (the agreement stipulated by Hitler and Mussolini to transfer all Germans living in South Tyrol into the German “Reich”) his family decided to remain living in the province, which had been annexed by Italy in 1918. Consequently, Alfons Benedikter, served five years in the army, first in the Italian army
, later in the German Wehrmacht
, deployed on many battlefields between Russia
and Southern Italy during World War II. At the end of the war his knowledge of the Russian language saved his life. Benedikter continued to cultivate his passion for the Russian language
and culture and repeatedly visited Russia
with political missions. Beginningin 1960 Alfons Benedikter lived in Frangart, (a frazione
of Eppan an der Weinstraße
) close to Bolzano, the capital of the province.
), the main political party of South Tyrol. From 1948 he represented his party in the regional government. From 1960 until 1988 he served as a minister of the provincial government in charge of social housing, economic and urban planning and environmental protection. From 1960 to 1988 he also was the deputy Landeshauptmann
(governor) under Silvius Magnago
. In the 1960s Benedikter repeatedly represented South Tyrol within the UN
in New York
, when the issue was debated as a major international conflict between Austria
and Italy
. Benedikter was involved in the elaboration of the so-called “Package for South Tyrol”, but finally he refused its acceptance as a conflict solution. Nevertheless, from 1972 to 1989, as a member of the joint Italian-Tyrolean commissions for the implementation of the autonomy statute, he contributed decisively to achieve a maximum of self-governance for his province as an autonomous province of Italy. In those years Benedikter took part in approximately 60 sessions of the Italian government in Rome
. At the end of the 1980s Benedikter returned to his previous scepticism with regard to the “package-solution” and opposed the official final “declaration of conflict conclusion” to be expressed by Austria before the UN. He left the SVP and, together with Eva Klotz, founded the new party, “Union für Südtirol”, vowing for self-determination. From 1989 to 1998 he represented this new opposition party within the provincial parliament. Apart from his role as an architect of the autonomy
of South Tyrol, Benedikter was a strenuous defender of the environment and landscape of his home country.
Benedikter died on 3 November 2010 at the age of 92.
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
. For 50 years he has been a member of the provincial parliament and for 40 years he acted as a member of the regional government of the region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and later the provincial government of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
. He had a decisive role in elaborating and implementing the autonomy of the province.
Career
During his youth Alfons Benedikter experienced the ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
fascist oppression and discrimination policy towards the German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
national minority in his home village of Schlanders
Schlanders
Schlanders is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 70 km northwest of the city of Trento and about 50 km west of the city of Bolzano ....
. He was educated in law and Russian at the University of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
from which he graduated in 1940. During the tragic period of the so-called “Option
South Tyrol Option Agreement
The South Tyrol Option Agreement refers to the period between 1939 and 1943, when the native German and Ladin speaking people in South Tyrol and three communes in the province of Belluno were given the "option" of either emigrating to neighboring Nazi Germany or remaining in Fascist Italy and...
” in 1939 (the agreement stipulated by Hitler and Mussolini to transfer all Germans living in South Tyrol into the German “Reich”) his family decided to remain living in the province, which had been annexed by Italy in 1918. Consequently, Alfons Benedikter, served five years in the army, first in the Italian army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
, later in the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, deployed on many battlefields between Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Southern Italy during World War II. At the end of the war his knowledge of the Russian language saved his life. Benedikter continued to cultivate his passion for the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and culture and repeatedly visited Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
with political missions. Beginningin 1960 Alfons Benedikter lived in Frangart, (a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Eppan an der Weinstraße
Eppan an der Weinstraße
Eppan an der Weinstraße is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 8 km southwest of the city of Bolzano.-Geography:...
) close to Bolzano, the capital of the province.
Politics
Benedikter was a founding member of the SVP (South Tyrolean People's PartySouth Tyrolean People's Party
The South Tyrolean People's Party is a regionalist Christian democratic political party active in the Italian province of South Tyrol.Founded in 1945, the SVP represents the German-speaking population of the province, as well as Ladin speakers. Since the first election of the Provincial Council in...
), the main political party of South Tyrol. From 1948 he represented his party in the regional government. From 1960 until 1988 he served as a minister of the provincial government in charge of social housing, economic and urban planning and environmental protection. From 1960 to 1988 he also was the deputy Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
(governor) under Silvius Magnago
Silvius Magnago
- Biography :Magnano was born in Merano. He was a trained lawyer, and lived all his life in Bolzano. He was chairman of the South Tyrolean People's Party and governor of the autonomous province of South Tyrol from 1960–1989....
. In the 1960s Benedikter repeatedly represented South Tyrol within the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, when the issue was debated as a major international conflict between Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Benedikter was involved in the elaboration of the so-called “Package for South Tyrol”, but finally he refused its acceptance as a conflict solution. Nevertheless, from 1972 to 1989, as a member of the joint Italian-Tyrolean commissions for the implementation of the autonomy statute, he contributed decisively to achieve a maximum of self-governance for his province as an autonomous province of Italy. In those years Benedikter took part in approximately 60 sessions of the Italian government in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. At the end of the 1980s Benedikter returned to his previous scepticism with regard to the “package-solution” and opposed the official final “declaration of conflict conclusion” to be expressed by Austria before the UN. He left the SVP and, together with Eva Klotz, founded the new party, “Union für Südtirol”, vowing for self-determination. From 1989 to 1998 he represented this new opposition party within the provincial parliament. Apart from his role as an architect of the autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
of South Tyrol, Benedikter was a strenuous defender of the environment and landscape of his home country.
Benedikter died on 3 November 2010 at the age of 92.