15 Facts About Anton Reinthaller

Anton Reinthaller was an Austrian politician active before and after the Second World War.

Politically, Anton Reinthaller initially belonged to the Landbund before switching to support the Nazis in 1928.

Anton Reinthaller rose through the ranks of Austria's Nazi set-up, becoming state peasant leader in 1934, although his moderate stance, particularly with regards to the use of violence, meant that he was often in conflict with Theodor Habicht who feared that Reinthaller was preparing to break away and form a specifically Austrian Nazi movement that would reject union with Germany.

In 1935, with the backing of Kaltenbrunner and Franz Langoth, Anton Reinthaller attempted to negotiate an agreement with Kurt Schuschnigg in which he sought to unite Austria's Sturmabteilung and Schutzstaffel with other rightist groups in the service of the Fatherland Front as part of a National Front.

However, radical Nazi leader Josef Leopold stepped in, as he felt Anton Reinthaller was diluting the impact of Austria's Nazis too much and had him deprived of his party positions in 1937.

Anton Reinthaller stepped away from active politics after this, although he remained a voice of dissent on the sidelines, attacking Nazi anti-Semitism on the basis of its negative impact on international opinion of the Nazis, whilst resisting any move to complete Anschluss.

Two days later, the newspaper stated that Anton Reinthaller was still inspecting facilities along the Danube.

Anton Reinthaller was transferred to Nuremberg, then to an internment camp in Dachau in July 1947.

Anton Reinthaller was later sent back to Nuremberg, and released from custody on 8 November 1948.

Anton Reinthaller was ordered to wait in Bavaria to await the ruling of a denazification tribunal in his case.

Anton Reinthaller was acquitted of high treason, but found guilty of being an active member of the Nazi Party before the Anchluss.

Anton Reinthaller was sentenced to three years in prison and had part of his assets confiscated.

Anton Reinthaller died in Innviertel in 1958, with the leadership of the FPO passing to Friedrich Peter.

Anton Reinthaller saw himself as a "victim" of "victor's justice".

Anton Reinthaller, who had not known about the gassings, rejected the attempted extermination of the Jews, labelling it Hitler's "madness" and "monstrous".