Thomas Klestil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Klestil
|
|
|---|---|
Klestil in 1999
|
|
| President of Austria | |
| In office 8 July 1992 – 6 July 2004 |
|
| Chancellor | Franz Vranitzky Viktor Klima Wolfgang Schüssel |
| Preceded by | Kurt Waldheim |
| Succeeded by | Heinz Fischer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 November 1932 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 6 July 2004 (aged 71) Vienna, Austria |
| Cause of death | Multiple organ failure |
| Political party | People's Party |
| Spouses |
Edith Klestil
(m. 1957; div. 1998)Margot Klestil-Löffler
(m. 1998) |
| Alma mater | Vienna University of Economics and Business |
| Signature |  |
Thomas Klestil (4 November 1932 – 6 July 2004) was an important Austrian diplomat and politician. He served as the President of Austria from 1992 until he passed away in 2004. He was first chosen as president in 1992 and then re-elected for a second term in 1998.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Thomas Klestil was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1932. His family was working class; his father worked on the tramway. He went to school in Landstraße, where he became friends with the famous musician Joe Zawinul.
Klestil studied at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. He earned his doctorate degree in 1957. After finishing his studies, he joined the government service. He worked both in Austria and in other countries. For example, he worked for the OECD.
In 1969, he helped set up Austria's main office for foreign relations in Los Angeles. There, he became friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Klestil was very good at speaking English. Before becoming president, he was Austria's ambassador to the United Nations from 1978 to 1982. He also served as the ambassador to the United States from 1982 to 1987.
Becoming President
In 1992, the conservative Austrian People's Party chose Thomas Klestil to run for president. He won the election and took office on 8 July 1992. He followed Kurt Waldheim as president.
An Active President
During his time as president, Klestil often disagreed with his own political party. This became very clear when he had to approve a new government in 2000. This government included the Austrian Freedom Party, led by Jörg Haider. Klestil had promised to be an "active" president during his election campaign.
He often spoke out against the Austrian government. In an interview in 2003, he even said that he could, in theory, fire the government if he felt it was necessary. The Austrian constitution gives the president a lot of power. However, no president before Klestil had ever used these powers.
Supporting Kiryat Mattersdorf
President Klestil also supported the growth of Kiryat Mattersdorf. This is a Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem. It was founded in 1959 to remember communities destroyed during the Holocaust.
Rabbi Akiva Ehrenfeld, who led the neighborhood, worked closely with the Austrian government. He got money for places like a kindergarten and a nursing home. In 1994, Klestil visited Israel and Kiryat Mattersdorf. Later, in 1995, he welcomed Rabbi Ehrenfeld to the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.
Personal Life
Thomas Klestil met Edith Wielander in 1949 when he was 17. They got married in 1957. Before he became president in 1992, they had three children together.
In 1994, the couple separated. Klestil announced he was in a relationship with another diplomat, Margot Löffler. He and Edith divorced in September 1998. Three months later, Klestil married Margot Löffler. When Thomas Klestil passed away in 2004, Edith attended his funeral service.
Klestil also had some health problems, especially with his lungs. He had a serious illness in 1996.
Death and Funeral
.svg)
On 5 July 2004, just three days before his second term as president was to end, Klestil suffered a heart attack. This was likely due to his long-term lung issues. He was in very serious condition.
He passed away on 6 July at 11:33 PM in a Vienna hospital. The cause was multiple organ failure, meaning many of his body's organs stopped working.
His funeral was held on 10 July 2004, at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. He was buried in the presidential crypt at Vienna's Central Cemetery. Many important people attended his funeral. These included Russian president Vladimir Putin, former Austrian president Kurt Waldheim, and Austrian-born Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thomas Klestil was the fifth Austrian president to die while still in office since 1950.
Honours and Awards
Austria : Great Star of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (20 December 1992)
Italy : Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (27 January 1993)
Netherlands : Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (22 February 1994)
Argentina : Grand Collar of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín (1995)
United Kingdom : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
Peru : Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru
Norway : Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (8 April 1996)
Sweden : Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (5 February 1997)
Spain : Knight of the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (8 July 1997)
France : Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (21 August 1998)
Poland : Order of the White Eagle (23 September 1998)
Ukraine : Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (13 October 1998)
Slovakia : Grand Cross (or 1st Class) of the Order of the White Double Cross (1 November 1998)
Romania : Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania (22 January 1999)
Croatia : Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav ("For outstanding contribution to the promotion of friendship and development co-operation between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Austria." – 2 March 2001)- Grand Gold Medal with Star for services to the city of Vienna (3 October 2002)
Algeria : Order of the Athir (13 March 2003)
Portugal : Collar of the Order of Prince Henry
See also
In Spanish: Thomas Klestil para niños
