Hannes Androsch

A friend and great supporter of Upper Austria

Hannes Androsch has been a co-owner of Salinen Austria since 1997.

(Bild: Holl Reinhard)

The former finance minister and industrialist Hannes Androsch has died at the age of 86. Born in Vienna, he also left his mark on Upper Austria and was very popular there. As a "salt baron", he was omnipresent, especially in the Salzkammergut region.

"Hannes Androsch was a great friend and supporter of Upper Austria. With his death, Austria has lost a great thinker and one of the outstanding political personalities of the Second Republic," said Upper Austrian Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) in mourning Hannes Androsch. The former finance minister was also very active in Upper Austria after his time as a politician.

Purchase of the salt works
Androsch was closely associated with the Salzkammergut region in particular. From 1997, he was co-owner of Salinen Beteiligungs GmbH and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Salinen Austria AG. Together with the then head of RLB-OÖ, Ludwig Scharinger, he bought the salt works from the state and held 43 percent of the company. No wonder Hannes Androsch was nicknamed the "salt baron", especially in the Salzkammergut region. Whether in Bad Ischl or Ebensee, Hannes Androsch appeared in public time and again and was not sparing with criticism and admonishing words until his old age.

Active until the end
Androsch was also active during the recent Capital of Culture year in Bad Ischl, but withdrew from the Capital of Culture Committee after a conflict with the artistic management.

"Hannes Androsch stood for a social democracy that has always combined social policy with intelligent economic and industrial policy. This combination has had a lasting impact on Austria's path to prosperity and security," emphasizes Alois Stöger, Executive Chairman of the SPÖ Upper Austria.