Former LH remembers:

“A strong thinker for social democracy”

Peter Ambrozy and Hannes Androsch at the opening of the Vivamayr Resort in Maria Wörth in 2005.

(Bild: KRONEN ZEITUNG)

Hannes Androsch's work has also left its mark politically and economically in Carinthia. In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, Carinthia's former governor Peter Ambrozy remembers the "fascinating personality".

Hannes Androsch and Peter Ambrozy, two social democrats whose biographies are very similar. Both politicians were seen as potential successors to political heavyweights. One for Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky and the other for Carinthia's long-term provincial governor Leopold Wagner. And the paths of Androsch and Ambrozy overlapped several times.

The outcast and the worthy successor
"I was still Leopold Wagner's office manager at the time and that's when I met Androsch," recalls Peter Ambrozy, who later became governor of Carinthia, in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper. And even then, the Carinthian politician recognized that Androsch had a vision for financial policy. 

Hannes Androsch and the former governor Leopold Wagner.

(Bild: Kronen Zeitung)

And while Androsch later fell out of favor and turned to business, Ambrozy remained loyal to politics and was elected Leopold Wagner's successor in 1988. Despite the dispute between Androsch and the SPÖ, one thing was always certain for Ambrozy: "Androsch was a strong thinker and a very influential figure for social democracy." The former provincial governor also felt sorry for the later industrialist, because "at one stage he didn't have it easy. He suffered a lot under some comrades."

Hannes Androsch always had a penchant for reality. Some politicians today could also take this to heart.

Peter Ambrozy, ehemaliger Kärntner Landeshauptmann 

Androsch's economic footprints
But it was not only politically that Hannes Androsch's life took him to Carinthia several times. The Viennese-born entrepreneur also left his mark on the south of Austria. For around ten years, the industrialist operated a site in Klagenfurt with the AT&S Group. However, a lack of capacity utilization prospects led to its closure.

One project that turned out to be a complete economic success is the Vivamayr Resort in Maria Wörth. Not only do stars from all over the world make the pilgrimage to Lake Wörthersee for a health cure, but the resort is also an important employer for the region.