Toni Ebner 1918-1981

Toni Ebner has significantly shaped the history of South Tyrol as a politician, journalist, and entrepreneur since 1945. As a young man, he was a convinced advocate for staying, co-founding the South Tyrolean People's Party in 1945, serving as a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies since 1948, being a member of the Council of Europe, and twice chairing the party. In 1961/62, he played a key role: after the Night of Fire, he strongly opposed bomb attacks as a means of politics, a politics in which he saw the South Tyrolean People's Party on a disastrous path. Two days after the Night of Fire, his unforgettable editorial appeared in the Dolomiten: "Desecrated Heart of Jesus Festival." From then on, he was considered a traitor by certain individuals and had to live with death threats, while his family required police protection. Based on extensive sources, the renowned contemporary historian and South Tyrol expert Rolf Steininger traces the life and work of Toni Ebner.