1911, January 22
Born in the Margareten section of Vienna (5th municipal district), Schönbrunner Strasse 122

Kreisky's family: Father Max Kreisky, 1876-1944, Managing Director of the Österreichische Wollindustrie A.G. und Textil A.G.; during his years of emigration (from 1942), manager of a textile factory in Sweden. Mother Irene Kreisky, née Felix, 1884-1969. Kreisky's maternal grandfather Felix, an industrialist, came from Moravia (today in the Czech Republic). Kreisky's paternal grandfather was a school headmaster; a great uncle, Josef Neuwirth, was a delegate to the Imperial Council in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy from 1873 to 1895. Both parents were of Jewish origin. Kreisky's brother Paul, born in 1909, was taken ill at an early age and in 1938 emigrated illegally to Palestine.

Irene Kreisky, née Felix

1916, September
Enters primary school in the Mariahilf section of Vienna (6th municipal district).

1921-1929
Attends various secondary schools.

1924, November 7
Participates in a demonstration of secondary school students in front of the Vienna municipal school authority building. The reason for the demonstration was the suicide of a male school pupil.

1925
Joins Section III of the Vereinigung Sozialistischer Mittelschüler. Unsatisfied with this organization („discussion for the sake of discussion").

An outing with his friends  (Bruno Kreisky third from right)

1927 Joins the Verband der sozialistischen Arbeiterjugend (SAJ) in the Wieden area of Vienna (4th municipal district). Despite initial opposition, Kreisky is elected chairman of this young workers' organization. 1929 Passes final examinations (Matura) at his high school on Radetzkystrasse in the Landstrasse area of Vienna (3rd municipal district).

1929, autumn
At the suggestion of Otto Bauer, who had told him that „the party needs good lawyers", Kreisky enrolls in the faculty of law at the University of Vienna, although had originally wanted to study medicine.

1930
Kreisky elected chairman of the regional organization of the Sozialistische Arbeiterjugend (covering the areas of Purkersdorf, Klosterneuburg and Tulln)

1933
Kreisky becomes chairman of the education committee of the SAJ, responsible for the entire educational and cultural work of the organization.

1934, February 12
Kreisky and Franz Olah, at the time an official of the trade union youth organization, prepare and distribute a leaflet of the Social Democratic party committee calling for resistance to the clerical-conservative dictatorship.

1934, February 18
After the outlawing of the Social Democratic party, the former party youth organization officials meet in the Vienna Woods. The illegal „Revolutionary Socialist Youth" is founded under the leadership of Kreisky and Roman Felleis, then Kreisky's best friend.

1934, March 1
Using the cover names Rainer, Braun, Brand, and Pichler, Kreisky, emissary of the illegal party, travels to Brno to meet Otto Bauer.

1934, December
Principal speaker at the second conference of the illegal socialist youth movement in Moravská Tøebová; ideological controversy with Communism.

1934, December 30 - 1935, January 1
Participates in the first all-Austrian conference of the Revolutionary Socialists in Brno.

1935, end of January
Kreisky travels to Brno to inform Otto Bauer about the wave of arrests in Austria.

1935, January 30 Kreisky arrested in his parents' apartment in Vienna; imprisoned at the same time were Franz Jonas, Otto Probst, Stefan Wirlandner, Anton Proksch, Theodor Grill, Josef Kratky, among others.

Police Photograph of Bruno Kreisky 1935

1936, March 16
Start of the trial against Kreisky and his co-defendants at the Vienna Criminal Court („Socialist Trials"). Kreisky's speech in his own defense is widely covered in the international press.

1936, March 24
After four months in police custody and one year pre-trial detention, guilty verdict is reached and sentence pronounced: one year's imprisonment for high treason.

1936, June 3
Kreisky released from jail and banned from all Austrian institutions of higher education.

1936-1938
After his release, Kreisky continues his illegal activities. Meets with Joseph Buttinger, the leader of the Revolutionary Socialists.

1938
Receives permission to resume studies.

1938, March 14
After the invasion of Austria by German troops, the Gestapo appears at the Kreiskys' apartment while he is completing his final doctoral oral examination at the University of Vienna.

1938, March 15
Kreisky taken into protective custody. Initially interned in an auxiliary prison of the Vienna provincial court [Landesgericht], then in the emergency prison in Karajangasse in Vienna's 20th district, finally in the main prison of the provincial court.

1938, August
Released under orders to leave the country. Kreisky applies for a visa for Bolivia. The then-leader of the Swedish Young Socialists and later Foreign Minister Torsten Nilsson invites Kreisky to emigrate to Sweden.

1938, September 21 Kreisky leaves Austria an the inaugural Vienna-Berlin flight of Lufthansa Airlines. Josef Afritsch, later Minister of the Interior in the Austrian Second Republic, procures his plane ticket. 1939 - 1945 Kreisky works as an employee an the administrative staff of the Stockholm Consumer Cooperative Association; on the side he works as correspondent for various foreign newspapers and magazines and writes for Swedish daily and weekly papers.

Bruno Kreisky in Sweden

1939, July 30 - August 2
Congress of the Socialist Youth International in Lille, France. Kreisky, alias Pichler, defends the policies of the Austrian Social Democrats (and opposes the attempts by Communists under Santiago Carillo, later Secretary General of the Communist Party of Spain, to influence the congress.

1940
In Sweden Kreisky meets Willy Brandt for the first time. Beginning of a lifelong friendship.

1941
Becomes chairman of the Club of Austrian Socialists in Sweden.

Bruno and Vera Kreisky

1942, April 23 Marries Vera Fürth, whose industrialist father owns a textile import business.

1942
Kreisky secures the right of asylum for Austrian deserters from the German Wehrmacht who reach Sweden.

1943, summer
Kreisky drafts a declaration in which the Austrian Socialists in Sweden called for the reestablishment of an independent Austria and for the convocation of an Austrian national conference to be held in London.

1943, December 13
In a resolution the Austrian Social Democrats welcome the Moscow Declaration calling for an independent Austria.

1944, February 28
A resolution drafted by Kreisky calling for the convening of an all-Austrian national conference given to Allied diplomatic representatives for forwarding by the Stockholm Emigrants Group, consisting of four Socialists, two Communists and the envoy Carl Buchberger.

1944, May 8
Birth of son Peter.

1944, June
Kreisky elected chair of the supra-partisan Austrian Association of Sweden.

1944, June 8
Kreisky's father Max Kreisky dies.

1945
Ernst Lemberger travels to Sweden as emissary of the Socialist Party of Austria [Sozialistische Partei Österreichs-SPÖ]. Kreisky arranges the visit, including a meeting with Prime Minister Per Albin Hansson.

1945, October 23
Kreisky entrusted with the establishment of contact between Austria and the Swedish relief agency: involved was the delivery of medicine, powdered milk and food for thousands of Austrian children and the provision of fire-fighting equipment for the Vienna fire department from the stores of the Swedish Navy.

1946, May
The French occupation authority approves his entry into Austria. Kreisky returns to his country after an absence of eight years.

1947, February
Kreisky assigned to the Austrian legation in Stockholm, headed by Paul Winterstein.

1948, April 14
Birth of daughter Suzanne.

1951, January 2
Kreisky finally returns to Austria and takes up residence in Vienna. Serves in the economics section of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Austrian Chancellery as Legation Secretary, 3rd Class. Resumes political work as assistant dues collector for the SPÖ in the Hernals section of Vienna, where Franz Olah was district chairman.

1951, June 22
President Theodor Körner appoints Kreisky Assistant Chief of Staff and political adviser.

1953, April 2
Kreisky becomes Undersecretary in the Foreign Affairs Department of the Austrian Chancellery.

1955, April 12 - 15
Travels to Moscow as part of the Austrian delegation negotiating the State Treaty

1956, May 13
In the elections to the National Assembly, Kreisky nominated for the seat in Lower Austria previously held by Oskar Helmer. Kreisky elected as representative from the electoral district in St. Pölten.

1956, November 26 - 28
Kreisky elected to the party Executive Committee at the SPÖ national party congress, although he had again not been officially nominated for the position.

1957
Kreisky elected to the Party Executive along with Bruno Pittermann, Felix Slavik, and Franz Olah, and thus becomes a member of the central leadership body of the party.

1959
Kreisky elected Deputy Chair of the SPÖ.

1959, July 16
Kreisky becomes Foreign Minister in the cabinet of the coalition government headed by Julius Raab. He achieves the upgrading of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Chancellery, which it had been since 1945, to a cabinet ministry in its own right. Plays a leading role in the setting up of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in Stockholm.

1962, July 1 - 7
Kreisky convenes the Conference on Economic Cooperation and Partnership (held in Salzburg and Vienna). Attended by politicians from 36 industrialized and developing countries, including the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the conference issues the „Vienna Declaration", in which Kreisky's ideas on a „Marshall Plan for the Third World" are first elaborated.

1963
The Challenge, published by Econ-Verlag; in it Kreisky outlines a plan, analogous to that of the Marshall Plan, for the economic development of the developing countries. Its priority is the creation of an industrial infrastructure with the aid of the industrialized countries.

1963, March 27
As a result of its electoral victory in November 1962, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) attempts to force Kreisky out of the government. Kreisky was reappointed Foreign Minister, but only after intense inter-party negotiations.

1966, March 6
ÖVP receives the absolute majority of votes and seats in the elections to the Federal Parliament and will govern alone.

1966, June 5
Kreisky becomes Chairman of the Lower Austrian SPÖ.

1967, February 1
By a vote of 32-22, the newly elected SPÖ Executive Committee recommends Kreisky's election as Party Chair. At the party congress Kreisky receives 347 of 497 votes and is elected to succeed Bruno Pittermann as Chair.

With the signs of tradition and continuity -Bruno Kreisky  in front of a painting of emperor Francis Joseph I.

1970, April 21 The SPÖ receives a plurality of votes and seats in the elections to the Federal Parliament held on March 1, 1970, and forms a minority government under Chancellor Bruno Kreisky. 1971, October 10 In elections to the Federal Parliament, the SPÖ receives 50.04% of votes cast and 92 (of 183) seats in the Parliament and thereby an absolute majority. 1971, November 4 The second Kreisky government sworn in.

1974, February 12 - 15
At a party congress the SPÖ repealed its internal mandatory retirement age regulation. According to this rule, persons with political functions were to retire at age 66.

1974, June 23
Rudolf Kirchschläger elected Austrian President. Although not a member of the party, an Kreisky's recommendation he had been nominated as the candidate of the SPÖ.

1975, October 5
In the elections to the National Assembly, in which the SPÖ had campaigned an the slogan „Kreisky - who else?", the Socialists receive an increased majority of votes.

1975, October 28
The third Kreisky government sworn in.

1976, January
Recognized as a „Citizen-of-Honor" by the City of Vienna to mark his 65th birthday.

1976 October
The Dr. Bruno Kreisky Foundation for Outstanding Achievements in the Area of Human Rights is founded on the occasion of Bruno Kreisky’s 65th birthday, en lieu of gifts. Every two years an international jury selects as prize winners those international figures who have concerned themselves with advancing the cause of human rights.

1976, November 26 - 28
13th Congress of the Socialist International held in Geneva. Willy Brandt elected President, Bruno Kreisky to one of the vice-presidencies.

1978, December 15
Law banning the use of nuclear power to provide energy passed.

1979, May 6
The SPÖ receives 51.3% of the vote in the elections to the National Assembly.

1979, June 5 The fourth Kreisky government sworn in.

1981, January 6
Kreisky, together with Konstantinos Karamanlis, elected „Politician of the Year" for 1980 by a jury in Paris comprising politicians, artists and scholars.

1981, January 22
Cabinet reshuffle: Hannes Androsch, formerly Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor, leaves the government and is replaced by Minister of Health Herbert Salcher; Education Minister Fred Sinowatz becomes Vice-Chancellor; Kurt Steyrer enters the cabinet as Minister of Health, and Hans Seidel enters as Undersecretary in the Finance Ministry.

1981, October 21
Kreisky receives an honorary doctorate from the University of Göteborg, Sweden.

1982, May 5
A physicians' advisory council declares Kreisky physically fit enough to run for the elections to the Federal Parliament to be held in 1983.

1982, May 21
Kreisky decides to run for office in the coming election. As conditions Kreisky demands a free hand in the selection of the future cabinet and insists that Anton Benya, First President of the Federal Parliament, remain in office.

1982, June 13
Kreisky awarded the peace prize of Arbetet, the largest Social Democratic newspaper in Sweden, in Malmö, Sweden. In his acceptance speech he calls on the youth of Israel to work for peace.

1982, October 18 - 20
President Gustáv Husák pays official visit to Austria, the first official visit of a Czechoslovak head of state since 1920.

1982, October 29
Kreisky receives 484 of 489 votes in the election for chairman of the SPÖ. He had already held the post for fifteen years.

1982, December 14
At the press briefing after the weekly cabinet meeting, Kreisky reaffirms his unwillingness to serve as head of a coalition government after the 1983 legislative elections.

1982, December 28
With Kreisky as intermediary, representatives of Israel and the PLO meet in Vienna to negotiate prisoner exchanges.

1983, March 19
At a campaign rally in Graz, Kreisky stated that he could well imagine remaining Chancellor as head of a minority government, should the SPÖ barely fail to achieve an absolute majority in the 1983 elections.

1983, April 20
In response to doubts circulating with respect to his physical condition, a medical report certifies that Kreisky’s health „has significantly improved since the summer of 1982" and that he is capable of continuing to lead his active political life „without restrictions."

1983, April 24
In the elections the SPÖ loses five seats, and thus the absolute majority, in the Federal Parliament. Kreisky declines to form a minority government and resigns, nominating Fred Sinowatz as his successor. In the autumn Kreisky resigns as Chair of the party as well.

1983, November 21
It is announced that Kreisky has received the Nehru Prize for International Understanding among nations. Kreisky accepted the award personally on 11 January 1985 in New Delhi.

1984
The Bruno Kreisky Archives Foundation is established by Karl Kahane, a private friend of Krieksy’s, with the goal of the most comprehensive possible safeguarding, indexing, and analysis of written documentation as well as audiovisual sources related to Bruno Kreisky’s activity as a politician, diplomat, and statesman from the 1930s onward. The archive’s holdings are continually expanded through the addition of materials from foreign archives pertaining to Kreisky.

1984, April 24
Undergoes kidney transplant operation at the Hanover Medical University.

1987, January 15
Kreisky resigns his position as honorary chairm of the SPÖ as well as all other public functions, including the presidency of the Renner Institute and the Austrian Institute for International Studies. The reasons behind Kreisky's resignations are the major disagreements between him and the current party leadership in connection with the government coalition agreement between the SPÖ and the ÖVP, specifically, the SPÖ's willingness to cede the Foreign Ministry to the ÖVP.

1988, March 14
Kreisky receives the golden honorary doctorate from the University of Vienna.

1988, August 17
The Swedish edition of Kreisky's memoirs is presented at the Scandinavian Book Fair held in Göteborg.

1988, October 28
Former Austrian President Rudolf Kirchschläger introduces the second volume of Kreisky's memoirs, Im Strom der Politik (Siedler/Kremayr & Scheriau), at a presentation held at the Austria Center in Vienna.

1988, December 5
Unexpected death of Bruno Kreisky’s wife Vera.

1989, April 10
Presentation of the book version of the report of the Kreisky Commission in the Vienna Chamber of Labor. The book's title is Zwanzig Millionen suchen Arbeit [A Program for Full Employment in the 1990s].

1989, June 21
Kreisky receives the KF-Hansson-Medaille in Saltsjöbaden.

1989, June 22
At the final session of the congress of the Socialist International, Kreisky retires as Vice-President.

1989, December 7
In a ceremony held in the U.N. Center in Vienna, Kreisky receives the peace prize of the Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation.

1990, July 29 Bruno Kreisky dies in Vienna at age 79. 1990, August 7 State funeral services for Kreisky attended by numerous official representatives of Austria and from abroad.

1991 May
The Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue created by friends and family of the former Chancellor after his death. The intention behind this „dialogue center", established in Kreisky’s former home in the Armbrustergasse in Vienna’s 19th district, is that the memory of this internationally renowned statesman would be kept alive.

Die Herausforderung. Politik an der Schwelle des Atomzeitalters, Düsseldorf 1963. Aspekte des demokratischen Sozialismus, München 1974. Neutralität und Koexistenz, München 1975. Briefe und Gespräche (mit Willy Brandt und Olof Palme), Frankfurt/M.-Köln 1975. La Social-démocratie et l'avenir (avec W. Brandt et Olof Palme) (französische Übersetzung der „Briefe"), Paris 1976. Die Zeit, in der wir leben. Betrachtungen zur internationalen Politik, Wien 1978. L'Autriche entre l'Est et l'Ouest (französische Übersetzung von „Die Zeit, in der wir leben"), Paris 1979. A Democracia entre o Leste e o Oeste (portugiesische Übersetzung von „Die Zeit, in der wir leben"), Lissabon 1979.

Bruno Kreisky in his library in his residence, Armbrustergasse 15

Reden. 2 Bde, Wien 1981.

Politik braucht Visionen, Königstein im Taunus 1982.

Das Nahostproblem, Wien 1985.

Zamaneh-e por Aschub-e ma (persische Übersetzung von „Die Zeit, in der wir leben"), Teheran 1986.

Oliver Rathkolb, Irene Etzersdorfer (Hrsg.): Der junge Kreisky. Schriften, Reden, Dokumente 1931-1945, Wien 1986.

Zwischen den Zeiten. Erinnerungen aus fünf Jahrzehnten, Berlin 1986.

Im Strom der Politik. Der Memoiren zweiter Teil, Berlin 1988.

Bruno Kreisky. Der Mensch im Mittelpunkt. Der Memoiren dritter Teil, hrsg. v. Oliver Rathkolb, Johannes Kunz und Margit Schmidt, Wien 1996.

Skiftande Skeden (schwedische Übersetzung von „Zwischen den Zeiten"), Kristianstad 1988.

Eurooppalaisen Muistelmat (finnische Übersetzung von „Erinnerungen", Bd. 1 u. 2), Helsinki 1990.

Johannes Kunz (Hrsg.): Bruno Kreisky. Ansichten des sozialdemokratischen Staatsmannes, Wien 1993.

Books edited by Bruno Kreisky

Decolonization & After. The Future of the Third World, (Mithrsg.), London 1987.

20 Millionen suchen Arbeit, Wien 1989.

A Programme for Full Employment in the 1990s (englische Übersetzung von „20 Millionen suchen Arbeit"), Oxford 1989.

Pour en finir avec le chômage en Europe (französische Übersetzung von „20 Millionen suchen Arbeit"), Paris 1989.

Biographies and Studies concerning Bruno Kreisky

Viktor Reimann: Bruno Kreisky. Porträt eines Staatsmannes, Wien 1972.

Paul Lendvai, Karl Heinz Ritschel: Kreisky. Porträt eines Staatsmanns, Düsseldorf 1974.

Bruno Kreisky. Fotografiert von Konrad R. Müller, Texte von Gerhard Roth und Peter Turrini, Berlin 1981.

Stella Klein-Löw: Bruno Kreisky: Ein Porträt in Worten, Wien 1983.

Irene Etzersdorfer: Kreiskys große Liebe, Wien 1987.

Bettina Gruber: Die Nahostpolitik Bruno Kreiskys, Klagenfurt 1989.

Elisabeth Horvath: Ära oder Episode. Das Phänomen Bruno Kreisky, Wien 1989.

Thomas Nowotny: Was bleibt von der Ära Kreisky? Wien o.J. [1989].

Heinz Fischer: Die Kreisky-Jahre 1967-1983, Wien 1993.

H. Pierre Secher: Bruno Kreisky: Chancellor of Austria, Pittsburgh 1993.

Herwig Danzinger: Bruno Kreisky und die Zeitschrift „Profil": Eine empirisch-inhaltliche Analyse, Wien 1994.

Konrad R. Müller, Werner A. Perger, Wolfgang Petritsch: Bruno Kreisky – Gegen die Zeit. Berlin 1995.

Gabriele Bernadette Waldner: Bruno Kreisky, Medienstar: Zur Bedeutung von Kalkül und Intuition in der politischen Kommunikation, Wien 1995.

Harald Pesendorfer: Bruno Kreisky – Transformation der SPÖ? Bruno Kreisky wird Parteiobmann, Wien 1996

Andreas P. Pittler: Bruno Kreisky, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1996.

Gerhard Schmid: Die Ära Kreisky 1970-1983; ihre Auswirkungen auf das politische System Österreichs, Wien 1996.

Werner Gatty, Gerhard Schmid, Maria Steiner, Doris Wiesinger (Hrsg.): Die Ära Kreisky. Österreich im Wandel 1970-1983, Wien 1997.

Encyclopedic Overviews concerning Kreisky and his work

Hans Eder: Die Politik in der Ära Kreisky, in: Reinhard Sieder, Heinz Steinert, Emmerich Tálos (Hrsg.): Österreich 1945-1995. Gesellschaft, Politik, Kultur, Wien 1995, S. 186-199.

Félix und Denise Kreissler: Bruno Kreisky. In: Les Grands Revolutionnaires. Romorantin 1984, S. 99-188.

Wolfgang C. Müller: Bruno Kreisky. In: Herbert Dachs, Peter Gerlich, Wolfgang C. Müller (Hrsg.): Die Politiker. Wien 1995, S. 353-365.

Oliver Rathkolb: Bruno Kreisky. In: Otfried Dankelmann (Hrsg.): Lebensbilder europäischer Sozialdemokraten des 20. Jahrhunderts, Wien 1995.

Collected Essays concerning

Johannes Kunz (Hrsg.): Die Ära Kreisky: Stimmen zu einem Phänomen, Wien 1975.

Erich Bielka, Peter Jankowitsch, Hans Thalberg (Hrsg.): Die Ära Kreisky. Schwerpunkte der österreichischen Außenpolitik, Wien 1983.

Aktion kritische Wähler (Hrsg.): Brüche und Aufbrüche: Zum Wandel der Werte in der Politik, Wien 1985.

Erich Fröschl, Helge Zoitl (Hrsg.): Der österreichische Weg 1970-1985. Fünfzehn Jahre, die Österreich verändert haben, Wien 1985.

Peter Pelinka, Gerhard Steger (Hrsg.): Auf dem Weg zur Staatspartei. Zur Geschichte und Politik der SPÖ seit 1945, Wien 1988.

Günter Bischof, Anton Pelinka (Hrsg.): The Kreisky Era in Austria (Contemporary Austrian Studies 2), New Brunswick 1994.

Austriaca No. 40 (1995): Bruno Kreisky.

Videos

Erinnerungen. Johannes Kunz im Gespräch mit Bruno Kreisky, 1989.

Zu Gast: Bruno Kreisky: Versöhnliche Worte zur Monarchie; nachdenkliche Worte zur EG, 1989.

Der Weg nach oben. Dr. Bruno Kreisky 1911-1990, ORF-Video 1990.

Begräbnis von Bruno Kreisky, 1990.

Ich bin der Meinung: Eine Hommage an Bruno Kreisky, 1990.

Abschied von Bruno Kreisky: Staatsakt, Trauerzug, 1991.

Abschied von Bruno Kreisky: Zusammenfassung der Trauerfeierlichkeiten, 1991.

Bruno Kreisky – Spurensuche: Eine historische und politische Spurensuche zehn Jahre nach dem Rücktritt von Bruno Kreisky, 1993.

Franz Kreuzer: Bruno Kreisky. Ein Leben zwischen den Zeiten, hrsg. v. Johannes Kunz. ORF/Edition S. 1993.

EMC

Bruno Kreisky, Regierungserklärungen 1970, 1971, 1975. (1970, 1971: nur schriftlich,

1975: 2 Kassetten) (Dokumentation unserer Zeit. Bundeskanzler Dr. Bruno Kreisky. Regierungserklärung 1975), hrsg. v. Dr. Karl Heinz Ritschel.

Disc

Dr. Bruno Kreisky, Weiter auf dem österreichischen Weg (Dokumentation unserer Zeit). Produktion Fritz Salus, Interview: Karl Heinz Ritschel.

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