Heinz Fischer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heinz Fischer
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Fischer in 2018
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President of Austria | |
In office 8 July 2004 – 8 July 2016 |
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Chancellor | |
Preceded by | Thomas Klestil |
Succeeded by | Alexander Van der Bellen |
Second President of the National Council | |
In office 20 December 2002 – 16 June 2004 |
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Preceded by | Thomas Prinzhorn |
Succeeded by | Barbara Prammer |
President of the National Council | |
In office 5 November 1990 – 20 December 2002 |
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Preceded by | Rudolf Pöder |
Succeeded by | Andreas Khol |
Minister of Science and Research | |
In office 24 May 1983 – 21 January 1987 |
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Chancellor |
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Preceded by | Hertha Firnberg |
Succeeded by | Hans Tuppy |
Personal details | |
Born | Graz, Reichsgau Steiermark, State of Austria, German Reich (now Graz, Styria, Austria) |
9 October 1938
Political party | Social Democratic Party (before 2004; 2016–present) |
Other political affiliations |
Independent (2004–2016) |
Spouse(s) |
Margit Binder
(m. 1968) |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | University of Vienna |
Awards | Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Order of Prince Henry Royal Order of the Seraphim Military Order of Saint James of the Sword |
Heinz Fischer GColIH OMRI RSerafO GCollSE (German pronunciation: [haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ]; born 9 October 1938) is a former Austrian politician. He took office as President of Austria on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010, leaving office on 8 July 2016. Fischer previously served as minister of science from 1983 to 1987 and as president of the National Council of Austria from 1990 to 2002. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), he suspended his party membership for the duration of his presidency.
Contents
Early life
Fischer was born in Graz, Styria, which had recently become part of Nazi Germany, following Germany’s annexation of Austria in March 1938. Fischer attended a grammar school which focused on humanities and graduated in 1956. He studied law at the University of Vienna, earning a doctorate in 1961. In 1963, at the age of 25, Fischer spent a year volunteering at Kibbutz Sarid, northern Israel. Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career, and became a professor of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck in 1994.
Personal life


Fischer identifies himself as agnostic and as a social democrat. He and Margit Binder married in 1968. The couple have two grown children.
Despite being members of opposing parties, Fischer was close friends with former ÖVP politician Sixtus Lanner.
He enjoys mountaineering and has been president of the Austrian Friends of Nature for many years.
Honours and awards
National Honours
Federal Order
State Honours
- 2008 Ring of Honour of the Province of Styria
- 2008 Freedom of the City of Graz
Awards
- 2009 Florianiplakette of the Austrian Federal Fire Association in gold
Foreign Honours
Foreign Orders
- 1993
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy)
- 2005
Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (Portugal)
- 2005
Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain)
- 2006
Grand Cross of the Order of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finland)
- 2006
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (Hungary)
- 2006
Collar of the Order pro merito Melitensi (Sovereign Military Order of Malta)
- 2007
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy)
- 2007
Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (Norway)
- 2007
Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (Sweden)
- 2009
Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania)
- 2009
Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword (Portugal)
- 2009
Grand Collar of the Order of the White Lion (Czech Republic)
- 2012
Collar of the Order of Merit (Chile)
- 2013
Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France)
- 2013
Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (Luxembourg)
- 2014
National Flag Order (Albania)
- 2015
Grand Collar of the Order of the Condor of the Andes (Bolivia)
- 2016
Order of the Balkan Mountains (Bulgaria)
Foreign Awards
- 2008 Honorary Doctorate of Law Faculty of the University of Tel Aviv
- 2009 Honorary Doctorate from the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences
![]() | Hypatia |
![]() | Agnodice |
![]() | Aglaonice |
![]() | Mary the Jewess |