Günther Benedikt
- Born on: 2.5.1921
- Birthplace: St. Pölten
- Category: Diploma program
- Right of domicile: St. Pölten (St. Pölten),
The English version is based on a translation by Artificial Intelligence. The authentic version is considered the German version.
As the son of the early deceased ironware dealer Franz Benedikt and the Jewess Melanie Benedikt (born November 28, 1888, in Brünn/Brno), Günther was considered a 'mixed-blood' according to National Socialist views. Therefore, admission to study at the University for World Trade required permission from the Reich Ministry of Science, Education and National Culture (Berlin). Although the ministry acknowledged that the assessment of his service as a Wehrmacht soldier was "not unfavorable," he was denied approval in June and again in November 1942. The winter semester of 1941/42 and the summer semester of 1942 were retroactively declared invalid. Benedikt's enrollment book was confiscated and destroyed, and in January 1943 he was "officially dismissed".
During the war, Benedikt served as a "company leader", which was the National Socialist term for the owner or manager of a company, of the iron wholesale business founded by his great-grandfather Franz Xaver Benedikt in 1866 and named after his father in St. Pölten.
Shortly after the Red Army took over his hometown of St. Pölten, Benedikt was appointed mayor in April 1945 by the responsible Soviet commander. However, a month later, he had to hand over the office according to the requirements of the Soviet occupying power to KPÖ member Franz Käfer. Professionally, Benedikt initially followed in his father's footsteps by completing an apprenticeship as an ironware dealer. Later, he became the chief curator of the savings bank, worked in the giro association, and held the position of board member in trade.
Just before his 27th birthday, Benedikt died in a traffic accident on April 21, 1948. A street in St. Pölten is named after him.
Author: Johannes Koll
Source material
Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Universitätsarchiv, Studierendenkarteikarte.
Österreichisches Staatsarchiv, Archiv der Republik, 02 Unterricht, Kurator der wissenschaftlichen Hochschulen in Wien, Kart. 13, GZ 5201 ex 1941-1944.
St. Pöltener Zeitung, 81. Jg., Nr. 4 vom 23. Januar 1941, S. 9.
Thomas Karl (Hrsg.): 500 Jahre Rathaus St. Pölten, Sankt Pölten 2003. Dieser Publikation ist das Porträt entnommen.