Hubert Gorbach (*1956)
Provincial Member of Parliament, Vorarlberg (1993-2003)
Vice-Chancellor of the Republic of Austria (2003-2007)
Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology (2003-2007)
Hubert Gorbach was Vice-Chancellor of the Republic of Austria from 2003 to 2007 and Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology.
Short biography
Hubert Gorbach was born on 27 July 1956 in Frastanz, Vorarlberg. After obtaining his high school leaving certificate from the school of commerce in Feldkirch in 1977, he completed his military service. Afterwards, he held managerial positions in a number of Vorarlberg companies, among them the textile firm Ganahl and the specialist screw manufacturer Kolb.
Gorbach began his political career at the Ring of Freedom Party Students (RFJ), holding the position of federal chairman from 1980 to 1985. From 1984 to 1992 he was deputy provincial party chairman of the FPÖ in Styria and after this provincial party chairman of the FPÖ in Vorarlberg, a position he held until 2004. From 1989 to 1993 he represented the Freedom Party as a member of the Vorarlberg provincial parliament. On 6 October 1993 Gorbach replaced Hans-Dieter Grabher as minister in the Vorarlberg provincial government and from 1999 served as deputy governor of Vorarlberg in the provincial government.
In 2003 Gorbach moved back into federal politics and became Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology. He subsequently became Herbert Haupt’s successor and Vice-Chancellor.
In spring 2005 Gorbach finally left the party together with Jörg Haider and joined the newly-founded BZÖ of which he remained a member until he retired from politics in January 2007.
Essential political functions
1989-1993 Member of the Vorarlberg state parliament
1993-2003 Member of the Vorarlberg state government
1999-2003 Governor of Vorarlberg,
1984-1992 Deputy State Party Chairman of the FPÖ Vorarlberg
1992-2004 Regional party chairman of the FPÖ Vorarlberg
2000-2002 Deputy Federal Party Chairman of the FPÖ
2000-2001 Member of the ORF Board of Trustees
2003-2007 Vice Chancellor
2003-2007 Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology