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Selected Members

Engelbert Pernerstorfer | Victor Adler | Richard von Kralik | Heinrich Friedjung
Gustav Mahler | Siegfried Lipiner | Max Gruber | Hugo Wolf


Heinrich Friedjung

historian, journalist, politician
b. Jan 18, 1851, Rostin (CZ),
d. Jul 14, 1920, Vienna

Friedjung helped formulate the early political stance of the Circle as it focused around reactivation of the Germanic folk spirit and the promotion of action over a passive liberal intellectualism. Friedjung's visibility as a nationalist activist led to his dismissal in 1879 from his academic position. This was the same year that he joined with Pernerstorfer, Adler, and Georg von Schönerer in the formation of the Linz Program; he is often considered the key formulator of the nationalistic aspects of the Program. He was largely responsible, with other members of the the Circle, for outlining a German Volkspartei program which promoted, among other things, making German the required language for official transactions, closer ties with Germany, and the reform of taxes to avoid discrimination against the poor. This outline, less the progressive economic elements, became an important element in the rising deutschnational society.

He served as editor of the Deutsche Zeitung and founded the Deutsche Wochenschrift. He was visible as political leader, but he left politics after his attempt to bring together a moderate nationalist party was defeated by the rising anti-Semitism within the nationalists. As a historian, he is best known as the author of The Struggle for Supremacy in Germany.

See also his entry in the Encyclopedia of Austria


Engelbert Pernerstorfer | Victor Adler | Richard von Kralik | Heinrich Friedjung
Gustav Mahler | Siegfried Lipiner | Max Gruber | Hugo Wolf

Vienna 1900 - The Pernerstorfer Circle | Close Window |