In Memoriam: Brigitte Pellar (1947–2026)
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our esteemed colleague, the renowned Austrian trade union historian Brigitte Pellar. She served as head of the Institute for the History of Trade Unions and the Chamber of Labour (Vienna) until 2007. Her numerous publications testify to her intellectual productivity, which was not diminished by her retirement. Earlier this year, her volume on the popular educator Richard Robert Wagner, co-edited with Johann Dvořák and Sabine Lichtenberger, was awarded the special award of the Bruno Kreisky-Prize. Her journalistic and political statements appeared both in print media and on social media. Personal conversations with Brigitte revealed her vast knowledge of the history of trade unions and the labour movement, particularly in Austria. Her passing leaves a void in this field that is particularly underrepresented in academic research.
As a long-standing member of the executive committee of the International Conference of Labour and Social History (ITH), she played an active role in the ITH. She contributed questions and comments to the annual Linz conferences, prompting discussion and reflection. She played a key role in organising the conferences in 2004 (“Mercy or Right” – Development of Social Security Systems), 2018 (Workplace Democracy Revisited: Labour and Practices of Participation, Workers’ Control and Self-Management in Global Perspective), and 2019 (Working on the Land: Actors, Societies and Environments). At times when the future of the ITH was uncertain, her personal commitment was crucial for the organisation’s continued existence.
May she live on in our memories and in future research that builds on Brigitte’s scholarly achievements.
For the ITH,
Therese Garstenauer
(ITH President)
David Mayer
(ITH Vice-President)
Marcel van der Linden
(ITH Vice-President)
Laurin Blecha
(ITH General Secretary)
