Ernst Franz Konar
- Born on: 12.8.1921
- Birthplace: Vienna (Wien),
- Category: Diploma program
- Right of domicile: Wien (Wien),
The English version is based on a translation by artificial intelligence. The authentic version is the German version.
Ernst Franz was one of the two sons of Cäcilie (called "Cilli") and Josef Konar (commercial officer). Although neither he nor his parents adhered to the Mosaic faith, he was considered a 'Mischling' according to National Socialist views, because his maternal grandparents were of Jewish faith. Therefore, Ernst Franz could only attend courses at the University for World Trade with restrictions in the summer semester of 1941 after graduating from a high school for boys in Vienna's 20th district. At the end of November 1941, the Reich Ministry for Science, Education, and Culture (Berlin) refused his admission. Consequently, Konar was "officially expelled" in December 1941 for "rejection of the Mischling application." Based on the reason that his brother Walter was allowed to study chemistry at the University of Vienna, Konar soon submitted a new application. However, the rector of 'Welthandel' Kurt Knoll pointed out in his statement that Walter was admitted despite his status as a 'Mischling' only because he had voluntarily enlisted in the Wehrmacht unlike Ernst Franz and had been deployed on the front in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and France, receiving the Iron Cross II Class. The ministry eagerly took up this argument, and Konar's application was rejected again in early June 1942.
Only after World War II could Ernst Franz Konar complete his studies at 'Welthandel'; he was credited with three semesters as compensation. On June 30, 1946, he received his diploma, and on July 13, 1949, he was awarded a doctorate in commerce on the basis of a dissertation on Die Finanzierung in der Betriebswirtschaft und ihre derzeitigen Möglichkeiten (Financing in Business Administration and Its Current Options).
His mother (born Cäcilie Helfgott in June 1892) was forced by the Nazi regime to bear the standardized first name Sara due to her Jewish parents. His father (born in Vienna in February 1891) was taken into custody in the Vienna I remand prison on October 19, 1944. He had previously been arrested by the State Police Headquarters Vienna of the Secret State Police (Gestapo), which was based in the former Hotel Metropol at Morzinplatz between 1938 and 1945. All family members survived World War II.
Until December 1943, Ernst Franz lived in the parental apartment Ospelgasse 27/2/9 (20th district of Vienna), where the family had been registered since 1923. He then moved to Sonnenfelsgasse 11 (1st district).
On September 30, 1979, Konar passed away at the age of 58. Barely a week later he was buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery. He was laid to rest in the same grave where his mother had found her final rest since 1970 and his father since 1978. His brother, who earned a doctorate in philosophy, passed away in March 2008 at the age of 88. He also found his final resting place at the Vienna Central Cemetery.
Author: Johannes Koll
Source material
Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Universitätsarchiv, Karteikarte.
Österreichisches Staatsarchiv, Archiv der Republik, 02 Unterricht, Kurator der wissenschaftlichen Hochschulen in Wien, Kart. 13, GZ 5201 ex 1941-1944.
Universitätsarchiv Wien, RA GZ 97/II ex 1943/44 nach Brief von Dr. Herbert Posch und Katharina Kniefacz (Universität Wien) an Dr. Johannes Koll (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien) vom 13. Februar 2013.
Meldeauskünfte des Wiener Stadt- und Landesarchivs, GZ MA 8 – B-MEW – 788137/2013 (Josef Konar) und 178621/2014 (Ernst Franz Konar).
Friedhöfe Wien, Verstorbenensuche: http://www.friedhoefewien.at/eportal/ [30. August 2013].