Karl A. Duffek was the director of the Karl-Renner-Institute, international representative of the SPÖ Austria and Vice President and Treasurer of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies. Karl A. Duffek worked closely with the Party of European Socialists during the past two decades.
Karl was a great analytical thinker and worked on numerous publications on Europe, the rise of populism and on many other political challenges ahead. He worked tirelessly to bring the Karl-Renner-Institute forward and to help build and develop FEPS. He was of the opinion that education was the key to empowerment; and all who are capable to study should have the opportunity, regardless of the fact if one is rich or poor. He therefore especially dedicated himself to the latter. The latest among the many projects we worked on together was the 4th European Training academy in Vienna in June 2016.
Karl had an impressive historic knowledge of social democracy and could bring any debate back to its fundaments and to the core values of social democracy. Always reasoning and with calm. But most of all he was a friendly colleague, with a good sense of humour. A friend who will be dearly missed and we will always remember.
We wish his beloved ones the strength to overcome this tragic loss.
