Wolfgang Schüssel
A conservative chancellor who reshaped Austrian politics by forming a controversial coalition with the far-right, then faced corruption scandals.
Born 1945 (age 81)·Chancellor of Austria from 2000 to 2007·Birthday: June 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Wolfgang Schüssel entered politics as a young man, rising through the ranks of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) with a reputation for sharp political instincts. His defining moment came in 2000 when, after an electoral stalemate, he chose to form a government with Jörg Haider's Freedom Party, a move that shocked Europe and led to temporary diplomatic sanctions from other EU nations. This coalition, and a second one formed in 2003, allowed him to push through significant economic and pension reforms, but it cast a long shadow over his tenure. After leaving office in 2007, his legacy was further complicated by corruption investigations into members of his cabinets, though he himself was not convicted. Schüssel's career remains a pivotal and contentious chapter in modern Austrian history, embodying the tensions between pragmatic governance and ideological boundaries.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Wolfgang was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Wolfgang Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Wolfgang's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 70
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 80
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 81 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from 2000 to 2007.
- Implemented a series of major economic and social reforms known as the 'Schüssel reforms'.
- Led Austria's presidency of the European Council in 2006.
- Formed two coalition governments with the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), a politically seismic event.
Did You Know?
He studied law at the University of Vienna before entering politics.
Schüssel served as Minister of Economic Affairs for over a decade before becoming Chancellor.
He is an avid collector of contemporary Austrian art.
After politics, he served on the supervisory boards of several major Austrian companies.
“A coalition is not a marriage of love, but a contract of mutual responsibility.”
