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Paul Gautsch von FrankenthurnAustro-Hungarian statesman and political figure.
Date of Birth: 26.02.1851
Country:  Austria |
Content:
- Political and State Career
- Early Life and Education
- Minister of Education
- Minister-President of Cisleithania
Political and State Career
Paul Gautsch von Frankenthurn was an Austro-Hungarian politician who served as the Minister-President of Cisleithania, the Austrian half of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on three occasions: 1897-1898, 1905-1906, and 1911.
Early Life and Education
Gautsch was born the son of a police commissioner and studied law at the University of Vienna, where he earned a doctorate in 1873. Following his graduation, he joined the Ministry of Culture in 1874.
Minister of Education
In 1885, Gautsch was appointed Minister of Public Education in response to the growing influence of clerical and Old Czech parties. He proved to be an adept parliamentary debater and an energetic administrator.
During his tenure, Gautsch removed liberal and pro-German books from school libraries and passed a law regulating student fraternities that targeted German students. He also proposed legislation that would have placed schools under the control of the clergy, but this faced strong opposition and was never debated in parliament.
Minister-President of Cisleithania
On November 30, 1897, Gautsch was appointed Minister-President of Cisleithania following nationalist student protests. He eased the proposed language law that would have required government officials in mixed German-Slavic areas to speak both languages.
Gautsch resigned as Minister-President on March 5, 1898. He held the position again from December 31, 1904 to May 1, 1906, and from June 28 to November 3, 1911.
