VIENNA, Austria - President Thomas Klestil, who brought calm to an office frayed by controversy surrounding his predecessor's past in the Nazi army, died Tuesday. He was 71.
Klestil, whose second six-year term was to end Thursday, died shortly before midnight from multiple organ failure, officials at Vienna's General Hospital told The Associated Press. He had been taken to hospital by air on Monday after suffering heart failure.
Heinz Fischer, who won elections earlier this year, takes over the presidency on Thursday. Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel assumed the presidential duties when Klestil fell ill.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040707/ap_on_re_eu/obit_klestil&cid=518&ncid=716
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore