Red Cross, fire brigade, ÖAMTC and trade fair president – there are many organizations in which Josef Hauer put his heart and soul in the past decades. Above all, however, Rohrbacher, who was born in 1946, was fascinated by local politics. This was already apparent in 1973, when the then 27-year-old headed the Young ÖVP in the district as chairman. Ten years later, “Hauer Sepp”, as he was always called in his hometown, was appointed to the municipal board, and from 2002 to 2014 he held the office of mayor.
During this time, Hauer saw himself both as a promoter of social cohesion and as a master builder: No wonder that numerous construction cranes shaped the cityscape during his tenure. “Whenever I see construction cranes, I know that Rohrbach is making progress,” said Hauer during during his 12-year mayoral period. The new construction of the “Aquaro” outdoor pool, the expansion of the state music school, the Villa Sinnenreich and, above all, the “Centro” event center were realized under Hauer’s aegis. In addition, numerous residential buildings and the retail park.
During his political career, Hauer did not like stagnation at all, much less the brakeman and obstructionist. He was known as a man of the straight path and the direct word. If he had something to say to you, he did so – directly and not behind your back. “If he hadn’t been so direct, he could have aspired to higher positions in politics. But you just couldn’t bend it,” Hauer’s longtime companion, Deputy Mayor Hansjörg Oberngruber, once summed it up.
“With Josef Hauer, there were almost only unanimous decisions in the municipal council. Constructive cooperation was more important to him than party politics. He knew how to master challenges and often showed tenacity and assertiveness – as the purchase of the turntable ladder showed, for example. Added to that was his sociable streak, his social commitment, his sense of humor,” said the acting mayor Andreas Lindorfer about his predecessor when he was awarded honorary citizenship in 2015.
Source: Nachrichten
