Bruno Kreisky, b. Jan. 22, 1911, d. July 29, 1990, was chancellor of Austria from 1970 to 1983, remaining in office longer than any of his predecessors in the post-World War II period. A socialist, Kreisky fled to Sweden when Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. Returning after the war, he helped negotiate (1955) Austrian independence and neutrality, was elected to the Nationalrat (parliament) in 1956, and served as foreign minister from 1959 to 1966. When Chancellor Josef Klaus stepped down in March 1970, Kreisky came to power as head of the country's first purely socialist government, leading his party to electoral victories in 1971, 1975, and 1979. He resigned when the Socialists lost their parliamentary majority in April 1983. As chancellor he took a prominent part in international affairs, particularly as an advocate of compromise in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
