After a heart attack

Salzburg Provincial Councillor Schwaiger died in hospital

Josef Schwaiger died as a result of a heart attack at the age of 60.(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

Following a heart attack, Salzburg Provincial Councillor Josef Schwaiger (ÖVP) was in intensive care. The veteran of the local People's Party was receiving acute treatment there, and now the 60-year-old has died in hospital.

Schwaiger had already been treated in hospital for an acute nervous condition on October 1. On Sunday, the politician had to be taken to hospital again by the Red Cross following an internal medical emergency. Following a heart attack, he has been in intensive care ever since. 

On Thursday morning, the office of Governor Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) announced the sad news in a press release: The 60-year-old had died in hospital during the night. Edtstadler will take over the official duties of the office.

Provincial councillor for twelve years
Josef Schwaiger had been in the service of the province of Salzburg since 1993 and served as a provincial councillor from 2013 to 2025. In his political work, Schwaiger was particularly passionate about agriculture and forestry, rural areas and protection against natural disasters. His work was always characterized by expertise, reliability and the goal of improving the basis of life in the state of Salzburg in the long term, the state government announced.

Born in Berndorf, the politician graduated from the Kleßheim Agricultural College and the Ursprung Federal College, where he later also taught. He then studied political science in Salzburg and Vienna and agricultural economics at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna.