The numismatist Fritz Dworschak took advantage of the Nazi era to assume central functions in the Vienna museum scene. After obtaining his doctorate in 1913 from the University of Vienna and passing the State Examination the same year at the Institut für Österreichische Geschichtsforschung (Institute of Austrian Historical Research), he worked as an intern at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and was employed there from 1915. Apart from being a curator at the museum, he was also the Dorotheum's expert in coins and medals from 1924 to 1939. In March 1938 he became provisional director of the Kunsthistorisches Museum and was its First Director from 1941 until he was removed from office on 26 April 1945. In July 1938, referring to his "pan-German attitude" and because he had "always felt associated with the Hitler movement", he applied for membership of the NSDAP. This was initially rejected, but in October 1940 he became member number 9,020.874. Supported by the weapons expert Leopold Ruprecht, who had been an active member of the NSDAP since 1932, he managed the Zentraldepot für beschlagnahmte Sammlungen (Central Depot for Seized Collections) in the Neue Burg, which was set up in autumn 1938. From summer 1939, he coordinated the storage of items from Viennese state museums, which was supervised from summer 1942 by Ludwig Berg from the Generalreferat für Kunstförderung, Staatstheater, Museen und Volksbildung (General Office for the Advancement of Art, State Theatre, Museums and Culture). Apart from these functions, in August 1941 Dworschak became an assessor for the Reichskammer der bildenden Künste (Reich Chamber of Fine Arts) art and culture purchasing department. From August 1942 he also headed the "Sonderauftrag Münzen" (special coin project) and played a central role in the acquisition of coins and medals for the planned "Führer Museum" in Linz. In October 1943 he married Elfriede Höbarth, recruited for this special project in June 1943 as a coin specialist. At his trial by the Volksgericht in 1946 he denied his NSDAP membership. He was retired from the civil service in March 1947 but a few months later was recruited as a consultant for the city of Krems, where he remained until he retired in 1958. He was awarded the title "Hofrat" in 1960 for his "exceptional service".