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Friedrich Rainer, National Socialism, and Postwar Europe: The Historical World of an Austrian Nazi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2009

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Friedrich Rainer (1903-50?) personified the semiautonomous chieftain who served the Third Reich so well. Born in Carinthia, he worked his way into major party positions in Austria and then, after the Anschluss, moved into crucial posts in the Ostmark. After leading the party in Salzburg, he highlighted his Nazi career by serving as Gauleiter of his native province. Simultaneously he governed the occupied regions in northern Slovenia (Carniola) and later added a role as Hitler's deputy on the Adriatic coast (Istria, Trieste, and environs). He was extremely ambitious, well connected in party circles, a capable administrator, a pronounced Pan-German, and a Hitler loyalist to the end. He also revealed himself as a keen observer of his surroundings, an active propagandist, and an able politician. In short, as a leader of consequence in the Third Reich, he did not differ much from other key Nazi lieutenants.

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Copyright © Center for Austrian Studies, University of Minnesota 1999

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References

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32 Lammers an die Obersten Reichsbehörden, Berlin, Sept. 11, 1943, in Die Operationszone ‘Alpenvorland’ und ‘Adriatisches Küstenland’ 1943-1945, ed. Karl, Stuhlpfarrer (Vienna, 1969), 137–39;Google Scholarcross-examination of Friedrich, Rainer, July 1947, Fourth Yugoslav Army, Ljubljana, ARS, Fasc. 924/III, str. 59, 12 (hereafter cited as cross-examination, F. Rainer).Google Scholar

33 For further discussion of this issue, see Dennison, Rusinow, Italy's Austrian Heritage, 1919-1946 (Oxford, 1969), chap. 1;Google Scholar and John, Arnez, Slovenia in European Affairs (New York, 1958), chap. 1.Google Scholar

34 On September 19, 1943, Wutte wrote Rainer advising him to act carefully in the new portions of Slovenia. The policies in Upper Carniola in 1941 and 1942 had been dangerous and were not to be repeated in the newly occupied regions. The advice to move cautiously, however, did not mean abandoning the long-range desire to make the region German in its culture, economy, and outlook;Google ScholarWutte an, Rainer, Klagenfurt, Sept. 19, 1943, in Martin Wutte (1876-1948) zum Gedächtnis, ed. Wilhelm, Neumann (Klagenfurt, 1988), 3032.Google Scholar

35 Rainer, F., “Osnivanje i djelatnost organa vrhovnog komesara u operativnoj zoni ‘jakranska obala’ ” (The structure and activity of the authorities of the high commissioner in the operation zone “Adriatic Coastland”), n.d. (after Jan. 1948?), ARS, Inv. 761, 80-4, 11-30, 1602-4;Google ScholarRainer, F. “Der deutsche Nachrichtendienst im Adriatischen Küstenland vor der Besetzung durch die deutschen Truppen,” n.d. (late 1947?), ARS, Inv. 761, 11-33, 1744. For a more detailed examination of the ambiguities of Rainer's Slovene policy,Google Scholar see Maurice, Williams, “The Nazis, German Nationalism, and Ethnic Diversity: The Adriatic Coastland under Friedrich Rainer,” Slovene Studies 17 (1995; published 08 1998).Google Scholar

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38 Cross-examination, Rainer, F., str. 68, 16-17;Google ScholarAugust, Walzl, Kärnten 1945 (Klagenfurt, 1985), 4344;Google ScholarRainer an Bormann, Klagenfurt, Dec. 18, 1944, AB-Z, Globocnik.Google Scholar

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42 Federativna Ljudska Republika Jugoslavia, Izpisek iz mrliške matične knijige, Apr. 1, 1952, and Dr. A. Wiehs an Dr. Leopold Jungfer, Vienna, Oct. 2, 1975,Google Scholar both reproduced in Lo sterminio mancato: La dominazione nazista nel Veneto orientale 1943-1945, ed. Pier Arrigo, Carnier (Milano, 1982);Google ScholarElio, Apih, “Tre documenti sulla politica nazista nel litorale adriatico,” Movimento di Liberazione in Italia 34 (1972);Google ScholarHöffkes, , Hitlers politische Generate, 262-63;Google ScholarPreradovic, Österreichs Höhere SS-Fiihrer, 73; interview with Mag. Ljuba Dornik Svbelj, Archivist, ARS, Oct. 1996.Google Scholar

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44 Rainer, , “Meine Vernehmungen,” 2847.Google Scholar

45 Report of conversations of F. Rainer, S. Uiberreither, and others, CSDIC Austria, July 1, 1945, CSDIC/CMF/X 188, PRO, WO 204/11505; report of conversations between F. Rainer, S. Uiberreither, and others, Aug. 3-8, 1945, CSDIC Austria, Aug. 15, 1945, 1 SC/CSDIC/X 4, PRO, WO 204/11505; Rainer, SC/CSDIC/X 9.Google Scholar

46 Vogt, , “Karakteristika,” 398-405.Google Scholar

47 Report on conversation between Rainer, F. and Uiberreither, S., CSDIC Austria, Aug. 20, 1945, 1 SC/CSDIC/X 5, PRO, WO 204/11505. Karl Renner was the head of the provisional government in Austria after the collapse of the Third Reich; he later became the first president of the Second Republic.Google Scholar

48 Gauleiter Rainer bei einer Tagung politischer Leiter am 18. April, 1945 in Krainburg, in Walzl, , Kärnten 1945, 78;Google Scholarreport on conversation between F. Rainer and S. Uiberreither, CSDIC Austria, Aug. 2, 1945, 1 SC/CSDIC/X 1; Rainer, CSDIC/X 9; F. Rainer, “Über nationalsozialistische Propaganda,” n.d. (after June 15, 1948), ARS, Inv. 761, 80-4, 11-40, 1915, 1923f.Google Scholar

49 Passant, E., Research Department, Foreign Office, Nov. 20, 1945, PRO, FO 371/46682.Google Scholar See also Rainer, , “Meine Vernehmungen,” 2836-37, 2841, 2845, 2851.Google Scholar

50 Rainer, , “Meine Vernehmungen,” 2835-36;Google Scholar see also Rainer, , CSDIC/X 5, p 3.Google Scholar

51 Rainer, , “Über nationalsozialistische Propaganda,” 2160. See also Rainer, F., “Über die Kärntner Slovenen-Frage,” 1405;Google ScholarRainer, , CSDIC/X 1, 4, and CSDIC/X 7, 5.Google Scholar

52 Report of conversations between F. Rainer and S. Uiberreither, CSDIC Austria, Aug. 9, 1945, 1SC/CSDIC/X 3, PRO, WO 204/11505; CSDIC/X 4, 4; and CSDIC/X 9, 3.Google Scholar

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54 Rainer, , CSDIC/CMF/X 188; CSDIC/X 1, 5; CSDIC/X 3, 2; CSDIC/X 11, 6; and CSDIC/X 13, 6. Later, after his trial, he had another motivation: the desire to live, or at least, a desire to die honorably. Rainer was condemned to death by hanging. As long as he continued to write for the Yugoslavs he was useful and death could be deferred. Postponement might bring a change of circumstances that could modify his condition (Rainer, CSDIC/X 4,3; CSDIC/X 7, 2; CSDIC/X 9, 3; and CSDIC/X 13, 7). Or if he was going to die, at least Rainer hoped the method would shift from the rope to a firing squad (Gesichtspunkte für ein Gnadengesuch [Dr. Rainer], ARS, Inv. 761, II-5, 419).Google Scholar

55 These writings do not include written answers to questions that were formulated during his pretrial interrogation. See material for Rainer's trial, Ljubljana, July 1947, ARS, Inv. 761, 80-4.Google Scholar

56 Rainer, F., “Der Nürnberger Kriegsverbrecherprozes und seine Begleiterscheinungen,” n.d. (after July 1947?), ARS, Inv. 761, 80-4, 11-55 (80 typed pages).Google Scholar

57 Paper by Dr. Rainer, ex-Gauleiter of Carinthia, on the Reconstruction in Austria, Aug. 1945, enclosure in W. H. B. Mack to Foreign Office, Vienna, Oct. 3, 1945, PRO, FO 371/46682.Google Scholar

58 Comments on Reconstruction in Austria, PRO, FO 371/46682.Google Scholar

59 Rainer, F., “Gesichtspunkte einer positiven Deutschlandpolitik des Ostens,” n.d. (late 1947?), ARS, Inv. 761, 80-4, II-44. The quotation is from 2450.Google Scholar

60 One can speculate that this faith in Stalin and the Soviet Union may have contributed to Rainer's execution. The Yugoslavs were obviously using him for their own purposes. According to ARS archivists, when his usefulness ended the authorities probably carried out the sentence of death. Perhaps that execution was aided by the Tito-Stalin split in the late 1940s. When the split was obvious, Rainer's advocation of Stalin and the Soviet Union as the friend was not politically correct and may have estranged him from his Yugoslav captors. Rainer was probably executed sometime in or after 1950. My inquiries to the Slovene intelligence service (Slovenska obveščevalno-varostna agencija “SOVA”) about the death of Rainer were not fruitful. Director Drago Fers says that his agency has no record of Rainer or the date of Rainer's death (Drago Fers, SOVA, to the author, April 11, 1996, and May 21, 1996).Google Scholar