Alois Mock
Encyclopedia
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
(ÖVP). He was Vice Chancellor of Austria
Vice Chancellor of Austria
In Austrian politics, the Vice-Chancellor is a member of the federal government acting as a deputy to the Federal Chancellor.Art. 69 of the Constitution of Austria states:...
from 1987 to 1989. As foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
he helped take Austria into the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Born in Euratsfeld, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
, Mock went on to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
and later international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. In Vienna, he became a member of K.A.V. Norica Wien, a Roman Catholic student fraternity, which is a member of the Cartellverband
Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
The Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen or Cartellverband is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities .-Foundation:...
.
From 1961 to 1966 Alois Mock advised the Bundeskanzler
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
Josef Klaus
Josef Klaus
Josef Klaus was an Austrian Christian/Conservative politician of the Peoples Party and the Federal Chancellor from 1964 to 1970. In 1934 graduated from law school. He married in 1936...
on European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
and EFTA
EFTA
EFTA may refer to:* European Family Therapy Association, an NGO.* European Fair Trade Association, an association of eleven Fair Trade importers in nine European countries....
policy and for the OECD in Paris. In 1966 he became Klaus' cabinet secretary and from 1969-1970 was the youngest education minister Austria had ever had.
After the Nationalrat elections of 1971 - where the Social Democratic Party of Austria
Social Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
(SPÖ) under Bruno Kreisky
Bruno Kreisky
Bruno Kreisky was an Austrian politician who served as Foreign Minister from 1959 to 1966 and as Chancellor from 1970 to 1983. Aged 72 at the end of his chancellorship, he was the oldest acting Chancellor after World War II....
won a majority — he became a member of parliament and mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Euratsfeld. From 1971 to 1978, "Lois" chaired the ÖAAB, the most important grouping of the ÖVP. From 1978 to 1987 he was chairman of the parliamentary party and from 1979 was also federal party chairman. He was later to be succeeded by Josef Riegler, Erhard Busek
Erhard Busek
Erhard Busek is a politician from the Christian-conservative People's Party . At present he is Coordinator of the South-Eastern Cooperative Initiative and Chairman of the Institute for Danube Region and Central Europe among other things.Busek was chief of the party and Vice-Chancellor of Austria...
and Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
.
In 1979, Mock became the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the European Democrat Union
European Democrat Union
The European Democrat Union is one of the two European wings of the International Democrat Union, along with the European People's Party . Its members include Christian democratic, liberal conservative, and conservative political parties...
(EDU), and from 1983 to 1987 also of the international Christian democratic International Democratic Union (IDU).
At the 1983 elections the ÖVP got almost the same percentage as Kreisky's SPÖ, who did not want to continue without an absolute majority and therefore retired.
Following the 1986 elections, from 1987 to 1989 Alois Mock was Austrian Vice Chancellor in the government of Franz Vranitzky
Franz Vranitzky
Franz Vranitzky is an Austrian politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria , he was Chancellor of Austria from 1986 to 1997.-Early life and career:...
(SPÖ). He held the position of foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
from 1987 to 1995, leading Austria into the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. He became one of Austria's most popular politicians.
In June 1989, in the area of Odenburg, he cut the wire of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
at the fortified border with Communist neighbour Hungary, together with his Hungarian counterpart Gyula Horn
Gyula Horn
Gyula Horn is a Hungarian politician and the third Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary, from 1994–1998....
. During the following months thousands of East German
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
citizens could therefore emigrate to Austria and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. This marked the beginning of the fall of Communism.
Together with Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Hans-Dietrich Genscher is a German politician of the liberal Free Democratic Party . He served as Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany from 1974 to 1982 and, after a two-week pause, from 1982 to 1992, making him Germany's longest serving Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, beside the fact that the Arbitration Commission headed by Robert Badinter
Robert Badinter
Robert Badinter is a high-profile French criminal lawyer, university professor and politician mainly known for his struggle against the death penalty, the abolition of which he successfully sponsored in Parliament in 1981...
and setup by the Council of Ministers
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
of the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
recommended that only Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
should be recognized as independent countries, they decided to acknowledge the independence of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. This decision did not prevent the escalation of the wars in former Yugoslavia.
In November 1989 Mock was one of the founders of the Central European cooperative called Pentagonale, which later grew from 5 countries to the 18 of the CEI (Central European Initiative
Central European Initiative
The Central European Initiative is a forum of regional cooperation in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, counting 18 member states. It was formed in Budapest in 1989.-History:...
). In 1999 he retired from parliament due to Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
Honours and awards
- Grand Gold Medal with Ribbon for Services to the Republic of AustriaDecoration for Services to the Republic of AustriaThe Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria...
- Golden Commander's Cross with the Star of Honour for Services to the province of Lower Austria
- Grand Gold Medal of the province of Upper Austria
- Medal of Tyrol
- Large Order Montfort of Vorarlberg
- Carinthian Order in Gold
- Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Grand Cross of Merit of the Italian RepublicOrder of Merit of the Italian RepublicThe Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
- Legion of Honour (France)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-NassauThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
(Netherlands) - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of LiechtensteinOrder of Merit of the Principality of LiechtensteinThe Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein is an order of chivalry of the Principality of Liechtenstein that is awarded for services rendered to the principality...
- Grand Order of King Dmitar ZvonimirGrand Order of King Dmitar ZvonimirThe Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir , or more fully the Grand Order of King Dmitar Zvonimir with sash and Morning Star , is an order of the Republic of Croatia. It ranks fourth in the Croatian order of precedence after the Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV...
(Croatia) - Order of the Dragon of Bosnia
- Mother Teresa Medal (Albania)
- Grand Cross of Merit of the Republic of Cyprus
- Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
- Order of Stara Planina, 1st class (Bulgaria)
- Order of the Star of JordanOrder of the Star of JordanThe Order of the Star of Jordan or The Order of Hussein ibn Ali is an award and military decoration of the sovereign state of Jordan and is awarded for military or civil merit. It was founded in honour of his father, by King Abdullah I on 22 June 1949, King Abdullah ibn Hussain...
(Jordan) - Grand Officer's Cross of the Order of Ummayad Syria
- Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Gwanghwa Medal (South Korea)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'HigginsOrder of Bernardo O'HigginsThe Order of Bernardo O'Higgins is the highest state award of Chile, presented to foreign citizens. This award was established in 1965 and named after one of the founders of the Chilean state general Bernardo O'Higgins who was the leader of the struggle for independence of the Spanish colonies in...
(Chile) - Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator San Martin (Argentina)
- Star of Mahaputera, 2nd class (Indonesia)
- Order of the Rising SunOrder of the Rising SunThe is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
(Japan) - Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory
- Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of RomaniaOrder of the Star of RomaniaThe Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
- Grand Order of Merit of South Tyrol
- Peace Connection Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
- Middle Cross with the Star of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
- Great merit of the Province of South Tyrol (Alto Adige)
- National Order of faithful service in the rank of Commander (Romania)
External links
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Josef Taus
| width="40%" align="center" | ÖVP Party Chairman
OVP
OVP is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:*The Office of the Vice President of the United States*The Office of the Vice President of the Philippines*OVP , a light sub-machine gun developed in Italy...
1979–1989
| width="30%" align="center" rowspan=2| Josef Riegler
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Norbert Steger
Norbert Steger
Norbert Steger is an Austrian lawyer and former politician for the Freedom Party of Austria . He was the FPÖ party leader from 1980 to 1986, and Vice Chancellor and Minister of Commerce of Austria from 1983 to 1987....
| width="40%" align="center" | Vice Chancellor of Austria
1987–1989
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Peter Jankowitsch
Peter Jankowitsch
Peter Jankowitsch is a former Austrian diplomat and politician.He was born in Vienna, Austria. A law graduate, he is a member of the Austrian Social Democratic Party . From 1983 to 1986, 1987 to 1990 and 1992 to 1993 he was a member of the Nationalrat, from 1986 to 1987 Federal Minister of Foreign...
| width="40%" align="center" | Foreign Minister of 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...
1987–1995
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
|-