User:Jsek/Ferdinand Kronawetter

Ferdinand Kronawetter (February 26, 1838 Vienna-January 20, 1913 Pottschach, Lower Austria) was a major figure in the Austrian democratic movement.

Early Life
The son of a locksmith, he studied law at the University of Vienna where he graduated with a Doctorate in Law in 1862.

Political Activism
In 1873 he founded a democratic movement and was elected to the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Council (Parliament) where, he led and was a member of, the small democratic faction. An opponant of liberalism he founded a movement based on Christian social values. In 1879 he was, again, elected to the Imperial Council with an increased majority. Around this time he became interested and involved with a strife of the working man . Though not a member of the Social Democratic Party he was an advocate for workers rights.

Later Life
From 1896-1902 he was a deputy for the Landtag of Lower Austria having retired from Imperial (read: national) politics.

Trivia
It is thought that the famous quote "Anti-semitism is the socialism of fools" came from Kronawetter although it is commonly attributed to German Social Democrat August Bebel.