Helmut Zilk (* 9. June 1927 in Vienna) be a Austrian journalist, late politician the social-democratic party Austria. He was a mayor and national captain of Vienna.

Its life

Childhood and youth

Zilk was born as a son of a newspaper employee in Vienna. To the liberal father it had a very good relationship. This turned early against the national socialists. He forbade to his son signing with the solicitors of the national socialists. This he did not do as to only his class also.

Teacher and journalist

In the post-war period he worked as "a school aid "in 2. District. After the study it attained a doctorate 1951, put 1955 down the teaching profession examination for and informed in the teacher educational establishment Hegelgasse. First besides, then full-time he worked starting from this year for the ORF, whose director of television program became he 1967. In this function it justified the school television, the transmissions "in own thing ", "local calls "and "foreign echo "and 2. Television program.

it changed 1974 to crowns the newspaper, where it dressed the function of the so-called Ombudsmanns, which tried to pass briefliche complaints or suggestions on of the readers to the correct places in politics and administration to 1979.

Since it is in third marriage married 1978 with the singer Dagmar vest, from the second marriage it has a son.

Politician

it went to 1979 for the into the policy, where it ascended rapidly. He worked of now on among mayors Leopold Gratz as town councillor for culture and citizen service in Vienna. When the lost with the national council choice 1983 the absolute majority and a new Federal Government from and was formed, he followed Fred Sinowatz, which became Federal Chancellor, as a Federal Minister for instruction and art. A historical important action set Zilk in this function, when for High Schools the subject computer science introduced as obligation article - as one of the first countries of Europe.

Already 1984 delivered Zilk this office again, when he was selected to the mayor of the city Vienna and concomitantly to the national captain of the Land of the Federal Republic Vienna.

"Dr. Zilk" was pervasive - with weighty voice and spectacular decisions. Of banishing the cars of the town hall square over the installation of expensive filters in of Vienna garbage furnaces, the building of the school ship, the town hall square festival up to the failed opinion poll over the EXPO.

On 5 December 1993 Zilk was hurt with a letter bomb assassination attempt of the terrorist Franz fox heavily at the left hand.

it separated 1994 from the office of the mayor, its successor became Michael

In the year 2003 Zilk was director/conductor of a reform commission of the Federal Government to questions of the future organization of the federal army.

Also after its retreat as mayors Zilk remains always present in the Austrian media. It is famous to take itself no sheet before the mouth and maintains its somewhat rumbling kind. In the field of vision of the public Zilk is still in function as moderator of the ORF Talkshow life artists radiated from the Viennese ring tower.

Health

Since that time with the letter bomb assassination attempt committed on it Zilk of two fingers of the left hand were torn off, it are strongly reduced in the grab function.

On 14 February 2006 Zilk in the Viennese Wilhelminenspital got a cardiac pacemaker after occurrence of heartbeat disturbances implantiert. On 20 February 2006 it was shifted due to kidney and lung failure in artificial deep sleep. According to statements of the physicians it is on the way of the improvement. To 29. May 2006 gave Helmut Zilk of the ORF transmission "topic" for the first time after its illness an TV-interview.

Honours

Zilk received the golden camera to 1966, 1994 it with the culture price Europe and the honour citizenry of the city Prague was distinguished. In addition it is carrier of the Theodor grain price and honour doctor of the Tokai University of Tokyo.

The Republic of Austria honoured it with the large golden decoration at the volume and the large Order of Merit with star.

Related links

• http://www.datum.at/0105/stories/783334/ "never by Verhaberung something become" - detailed interview with Helmut Zilk in the monthly magazine DATE

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