Wolfsberg mourns Mayor Hannes Primus - a big loss!

Wolfsberg mourns Mayor Hannes Primus - a big loss!

Wolfsberg, Österreich - On May 14, 2025, Hannes Primus, the mayor of Wolfsberg and a long -time member of the SPÖ died. The sudden loss leaves a large gap in both the community and in the district. Vice Mayor Peter Plehr emphasized 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 visited the Borg Wolfsberg, where he took off the Matura in 1996. His career comprises the attendance service from 1996 to 1997 as well as studying telematics and network technology at the University of Applied Sciences Klagenfurt, which he completed in 2001 with the degree graduate engineer (FH). This was followed by many years in the private sector before Primus worked as an 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 council in Wolfsberg. In 2012 Primus took over the chair of the SPÖ in the district and became a member of the Carinthian state parliament from 2013 to 2018. In 2020 he was elected mayor with 65.53 % of the votes and led the municipality during the challenging Corona pandemic. Primus was known for his calm way, his sense of responsibility and his ability to make clear decisions.

Hannes Primus leaves his wife Andrea and three children: Chiara, Nicoletta and Fabio. On May 15, an farewell will take place in the Markuskirche. Previously, from May 12th to 14th there is the possibility to register in a condolence book in the municipal council meeting.

scientific context

In a broader context, a research project at the University of Graz examines how political careers develop in Austria. Under the direction of sociologist Philipp Korom, it is analyzed how the career profiles of over 1,500 members of the National Council have changed since 1950. This investigation could also provide knowledge about the career of politicians such as Hannes Primus, who, despite private successes, had a typical career course in politics.

The results of the project are supposed to grasp similarities and differences in the CVs of politicians, whereby it is emphasized that the recruitment systems have hardly changed since the second republic. These findings could also provide information about the decreasing influence of the unions as a recruitment pool for the SPÖ, a topic that has become more 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 unforgettable. His commitment and stability will not only be missing in Wolfsberg, but in all of Carinthia.

Further information on the political career in Austria can be found in the article on the press, which deals with the topic in more detail: The press .