Karl Seitz

"KARL SEITZ (1869-), Austrian politician, was born at Vienna on Sept. 4 1869, the son of a wood merchant. Left without parents at an early age, he grew up in an orphanage, and, after completing his course in the public elementary school, began to learn the tailoring trade, until through the medium of patrons he was provided with a place in the teachers' seminary at St. Polten. In this way he became an elementary school teacher. Originally inclined to the German National party, he joined in 1888 the Social Democratic party. He organized the Social Democratic teachers of Vienna, and in the Diet of Lower Austria waged a fierce fight against Burgomaster Lueger and the dominant Christian Socialist party. Elected to the Austrian Reichsrat in 1901, he became, after the death of Pernerstorfer, its vice-president down to its dissolution. After the revolution of 1918 he was president of the German-Austrian National Assembly, and subsequently of the national parliament (Nationalrat) until the new elections in Oct. 1920, and federal president until Nov. 1920. He was in 1921 chairman of the committee of the Social Democratic party and of the parliamentary party, and vice-president of the Nationalrat.

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