Karl-Peter Schwarz

Karl-Peter Schwarz is an Austrian born journalist and currently writes as senior political correspondent for the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAZ), a leading German newspaper. Schwarz holds a Master degree in history and Italian literature from the University of Vienna. Mag. Schwarz slipped into journalism by chance, and worked first at the foreign desk of the Viennese daily "Die Presse", which at that time was still considered the leading traditional newspaper. In the mid 1980s Mag. Schwarz joined ORF, the Austrian Radio/TV corporation, and quickly advanced to the position as chief correspondent in Rome. After a few years he returned to Vienna and in 1990 became a senior staff member of "Die Presse". Fascinated by the revolutionary changes in Central- und Eastern Europe after the fall of communism, he moved to Prague as political correspondent and witnessed there the bold market reforms initiated by Vaclav Klaus and his team. These daring political moves not only facilitated the transformation from a command economy to a society of free people, they also provided the basis for the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The insights of the Austrian School of Economics clearly inspired them and provided Schwarz with a deeper understanding of what markets can achieve if only its forces were unleashed. By the mid 1990s, Mag. Schwarz was appointed deputy editor-in-chief of "Die Presse", and in 2000 he joined the "FAZ" as senior correspondent for Central- and South-eastern European countries. Among his numerous essays, book contributions and articles on history, political theory, and economic transformation issues, his important book "Tschechen und Slowaken. Der lange Weg zur friedlichen Teilung", Vienna 1993 must be singled out.