Anton Reinthaller (14 April 1895 – 6 March 1958) was an Austrian politician active before and after the Second World War. After a career in Nazi Germany as an SS-Brigadeführer and member of the Nazi Reichstag, he was the inaugural leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ).
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Early life
Born in Mettmach (Upper Austria), Reinthaller served in World War I. He was taken prisoner of war by Russian Army in 1916 before being exchanged in June 1918. He held the rank of Leutnant der Reserve. Returning to Austria, Reinthaller studied at the Agricultural College and became a forestry engineer in Lilienfeld, Attersee and Haus im Ennstal.
Pre-war political activity
Politically, Reinthaller initially belonged to the Landbund before switching to support the Nazis in 1928. He rose through the ranks of Austria's Nazi set-up, becoming state peasant leader in 1934, although his moderate stance, particularly with regards to the use of violence, meant that he was often in conflict with Theodor Habicht who feared that Reinthaller was preparing to break away and form a specifically Austrian Nazi movement that would reject union with Germany. However Habicht did not move against Reinthaller, who enjoyed good personal relations with Rudolf Hess and Richard Walther Darré, albeit ultimately he was removed after he spearheaded his own negotiations with Engelbert Dollfuß.