IN MEMORY OF THOMAS NOWOTNY: THE SOCIAL DEMOCRACY PROJECT

The Austrian political scientist, diplomat and author Thomas Nowotny can look back on an impressive and varied life's work: As a secretary in the office of Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, he stood at the side of a formative personality of the Second Republic. His further career took him into the diplomatic service, where he served as Austrian Consul General in New York and established himself as a recognised foreign policy expert. For many years, he passed on his knowledge and experience to subsequent generations as a lecturer at the University of Vienna.

Even after his professional career, Thomas Nowotny remained a deeply political person. In retirement, he devoted himself to party work with undiminished energy. As an active member of Section 8, he contributed with great commitment: he drafted motions, developed well-founded concepts and regularly made intelligent and pointed contributions to discussions.

In 2017, Studienverlag published his book „Projekt Sozialdemokratie. Failed? Outdated? Forward-looking?“ In this plea, he showed ways in which social democracy could rally different social groups around an optimistic and realistic project for the future in a changed world and use new tools to continue its great successes between 1950 and 1980.

Thomas Nowotny died in March 2026 at the age of 88. Political and professional companions remember the outstanding intellectual and committed social democrat and talk about the future of social democracy.

About Thomas Nowotny:
Heinz Fischer, Former Federal President of the Republic of Austria.

Memories and perspectives:
Wolfgang Petritsch, Diplomat, former secretary to Bruno Kreisky
Mati Randow, Chairman of Section 8 (SPÖ Alsergrund)
Markus Wagner, Institute of Political Science at the University of Vienna

Moderation
Eric Frey, The Standard

Musical accompaniment:
Isabel Frey, singer and musicologist, granddaughter of Thomas Nowotny