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Wolfsberg mourns Mayor Hannes Primus – a great loss!
Mayor Hannes Primus died: An obituary about his contribution to the community of Wolfsberg and the funeral details.
Wolfsberg mourns Mayor Hannes Primus – a great loss!
On May 14, 2025, Hannes Primus, the mayor of Wolfsberg and a long-time member of the SPÖ, died. The sudden loss leaves a huge void in both the community and the district. Vice Mayor Peter Pletz highlighted Primus' significant contribution to the cohesion and development of the district, which underlines the appreciation of his work.
Hannes Primus was born on August 1, 1976 in Klagenfurt and attended BORG Wolfsberg, where he graduated from high school in 1996. His career includes military service from 1996 to 1997 as well as studying telematics and network technology at the Klagenfurt University of Applied Sciences, which he completed in 2001 with a degree in engineering (FH). Many years followed in the private sector before Primus became IT coordinator at the LKH Wolfsberg and KABEG project manager from November 16, 2009.
Political career
His political career began in 2009 when he was elected as a municipal councilor in Wolfsberg. In 2012, Primus took over the chairmanship of the SPÖ in the district and worked as a member of the Carinthian state parliament from 2013 to 2018. In 2020 he was elected mayor with 65.53% of the vote and led the municipality during the challenging Corona pandemic. Primus was known for his calm demeanor, sense of responsibility and ability to make clear decisions.
Hannes Primus leaves behind his wife Andrea and three children: Chiara, Nicoletta and Fabio. A farewell ceremony will take place in St. Mark's Church on May 15th. Previously, from May 12th to 14th there is the opportunity to sign a condolence book in the local council meeting room.
Scientific context
In a broader context, a research project at the University of Graz examines how political careers develop in Austria. Led by sociologist Philipp Korom, it is analyzed how the career profiles of over 1,500 members of the National Council have changed since 1950. This study could also provide insights into the careers of politicians like Hannes Primus, who had a typical career path in politics despite success in the private sector.
The results of the project aim to capture similarities and differences in the CVs of politicians, emphasizing that recruitment systems have changed little since the Second Republic. These findings could also shed light on the declining influence of unions as a recruiting pool for the SPÖ, an issue that has become particularly important since the 1970s.
At a time when political careers are becoming increasingly complex due to their diversity, the contribution of personalities like Hannes Primus remains unforgotten. His commitment and steadfastness will be missed not only in Wolfsberg, but throughout Carinthia.
Further information about political careers in Austria can be found in the article on the press, which deals with the topic in more detail: the press.