Rudolf Maier trained as a watchmaker with Ludwig Löwenstein at Gumpendorferstraße 20 in Vienna's 6th district. After his journeyman's examination in 1913, he started a business in 1921 as a watchmaker, goldsmith and silversmith at Hütteldorferstraße 190 in the 13th district (from 1938 the 14th district) and married Anna Sailer that same year. Maier, who claimed to have been active since 1910 in Social Democratic youth organizations, joined the NSDAP in 1924 and on 15 September 1926 was co-founder of the NSDAP Hietzing local group, with membership number 51.660. The following year he joined the SA and rose within its organization structure by 1938 to the rank of Obersturmführer. He passed the master craftsman's examination on 8 February 1930. After the annexation of Austria to the Nazi German Reich, he became a temporary administrator of the estate of Jakob Futterweit (Vienna 15, Reindorfgasse 42–44) and the businesses of Siegmund Hamburg (Reindorfgasse 39), Franz Kohn (Vienna 14, Linzer Straße 54), Samuel Schutzmann and Norbert Futterweit's Wwe. (Vienna 12, Meidlinger Hauptstraße 17/19) and Kauftheil & Müller (Vienna 7, Siebensterngasse 16). In June 1938 Maier wrote to the "Arisierungsstelle" bei der Zunft der Uhrmacher, Juweliere, Gold- und Silberschmiede (Aryanization Office for the Watch and Clockmakers and Jewellers Guild and the Guild of the Clock and Jewellery Trade) to bear him in mind when considering the Aryanization of Jewish businesses. Shortly afterwards he applied to take over Norbert Futterweit's Wwe. On 11 November 1938 approval was given by the Vermögensverkehrsstelle (Property Transaction Office), and ten days later the business was transferred to him. On 25 August 1938, Maier also joined the Einkaufs- und Treuhandgenossenschaft für die Uhren- und Juwelenbranche at Schwedenplatz 2 in the 1st district, where stocks from temporarily administered businesses were sent and sold at much reduced prices to its members. Until 31 December 1939, Maier purchased goods worth around 28,000 Reichsmarks. After completed various courses at the SA Reich schools in Vienna and Dresden in 1940 and 1941, he was employed as an SA leader in the police, while his wife looked after the business in Meidlinger Hauptstraße. In 1944 he applied for promotion to the rank of SA-Hauptsturmführer but was rejected because of the poor report on his leadership qualities. After the Second World War the Vienna Volksgericht sentenced Maier to two years' imprisonment in 1947 under § 6 (illegal enrichment) of the War Criminals Act and §§ 10/1, 11 (treason) of the Prohibition Act. In the framework of the 1957 amnesty, the Landesgericht für Strafsachen (provincial court for criminal matters) in Vienna waived all unpaid court costs and quashed his conviction. Maier, who had been registered since 1943 as inactive as a watchmaker and jeweller, resumed his activities in 1950 first at Anton-Langer-Gasse 29 in the 13th district, and then at Hietzinger Hauptstraße 62/64, also in the 13th district. He finally cancelled his business licence in September 1966.
Rudolf Maier
Archives
Archiv der Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, Gewerbeakt, Rudolf Maier.
WStLA, A1 - Gauakten, Personalakten des Gaues Wien, Rudolf Maier.
WStLA, M.Abt 119, A41, VEAV 118, 12. Bez., Rudolf Maier.
WStLA, M.Abt. 119, A42 - NS-Registrierung, Rudolf Maier.
WStLA, Volksgericht, A1, Vg 11 Vr 6357/46, Maier Rudolf.
WStLA, Volksgericht, A1, Vg 7a Vr 273/46, Andreas Käs.