Kurt Karl Tweraser passed away peacefully on October 1, 2023 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was born on March 30, 1930 in Scharnstein, Austria, to Hans Hutterer and Hermine Braunesberger. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Gene Tweraser, his sons Felix and Ben Tweraser, his daughters-in-law Julie Johnson and Robyn Scott, and his grandchildren, Isabel Tweraser, Shannon Tweraser and Adam Tweraser. He was preceded in death by his parents and his adoptive father, Franz Tweraser.
A self-proclaimed “Hillbilly from the Alps,” Kurt spent his early years in a small, mountain village before moving to Wels, a larger town. His scholastic talent made him a sought-after tutor and kept the bullies at bay. When the War came to Austria in 1944, Kurt struck a deal to avoid Nazi indoctrination by joining the fire brigade, and there were a lot of fires to put out. In early 1945, Kurt was drafted into the Volkssturm (Peoples’ Army), where he was issued a bazooka and a bicycle and sent off to fight General Patton’s Third Army. Before it came to that, a Senior Officer sent them home to their mothers.
When the Americans occupied his area after the War, Kurt enjoyed a brief career as a black marketeer, trading schnaps for American cigarettes, which could be used to purchase food from local farmers for his family. The GIs tried to teach him baseball with little success, but this led to a lifelong interest in the American pastime and a love-hate relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals. Kurt trained as a bookkeeper, completing his studies at the Handelsakademie in Linz and holding various accounting jobs there and in Vienna.
In 1958, he was ready for a life change. He invented a reverse Marshall Plan, whereby he would be imported into the United States. Kurt met a young American student in their local Viennese cafe, and thus began a whirlwind courtship that ended in an engagement, two years of letter writing when Gene returned to the U.S.–writing that he touted as the best he ever produced– and marriage in 1960.
Kurt immigrated to the United States in 1962 and started graduate school at American University School of International Service, where he earned a PhD. He taught at the University of Arkansas in the Department of Political Science from 1967 until 1992, when he took early retirement to begin an additional career as a historian of Upper Austria and the city of Linz, which resulted in numerous influential publications. For this work he was awarded the Distinguished Scholarly Medal by the city of Linz in 2001.
Kurt won the inaugural Hogeye Marathon in 1977 and enjoyed running, long-distance walking, bird watching, reading, watching soccer, listening to classical music and cooking. He loved the company of his grandchildren and extended family. His favorite place in the world was Balsam Bay on Lake Clear in the Adirondacks, where every summer he could enjoy these activities and the people he loved.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Contributions may be made to Circle of Life Hospice or the Butterfield Trail Village Health Care Center.
Cremation arrangements by Beard’s Funeral Chapel.
I did not know Kurt well, but his wife changed the lives of hundreds of NWA children through adoption — and she thought he hung the moon! My deepest sympathies.
We had the pleasure to know Kurt and his lovely wife, Gene, for over 30 years. every summer when they came to Balsam Bay in Lake Clear, NY for the summer months. My husband was the caretaker for this camp for more than 30 years.
He was a pleasure to be around and very intelligent man. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.
Deepest condolences to Kurt’s family and friends from me and my wife, Livia. I was Kurt’s best man at his lovely wedding. As we aged, Kurt walked more and I less. He was a great advocate for healthy walking — always gentle about it.
A great mind and a good heart. Sorely missed
What a fascinating and well lived life. My deepest condolences.
Gene, Diana and I extend to you and your family our heartfelt sympathy. We admire the devotion you and Kurt had for each other and particularly your loving devotion to him during his recent illness.
Judith and I loved Kurt. And our daughters Sarah and Amy loved him, too. Kurt and Gene were our neighbors before moving to Butterfield, and we loved visiting their home, especially for the famous lakte and dreidel games. We even continued the tradition after they left the neighborhood. Our girls loved to see Kurt spin the dreidel, and eat the peanuts he won. He had such a twinkle in his eye!
So,so sorry to hear the passing of Kurt. Didn’t really know him, my mother Ruth Morris worked for the Cohn’s for years. My wife and I send our deepest sympathy to his. James and Becky Morris
Dear Gene. Kurt had a wonderful life with you and your extended family, which he helped to extend even further!
I loved reading about his life before the USA–a story I never heard–in this lovingly written obituary.
I send heartfelt condolences to your entire family and wish you well as you move through everything. It is a hard loss after 63 years. You are in my heart.
Love love Sally Ballin
Jeremy and I are saddened by Kurt’s passing and send dearest Gene all our love. May you feel Kurt’s love all about you, like a soft sweater across your shoulders.
What a full and exciting life Kurt lived. Enough for several men!
Dave and I send you our warmest condolences …
Harriet Neiman and David Mersky
I consider myself privileged to have known Kurt and Gene when I lived in Arkansas briefly and admire both of them so much. I know Kurt will be missed by everyone in the family, best wishes to all of you.
Als österreichischer Historiker habe ich die Arbeiten von Kurt Tweraser immer geschätzt. Er war ein Pionier der Erforschung der US-Besatzung in Österreich. Seine Frau hat auf mich einen großen Eindruck gemacht.
I’m deeply saddened to learn of Kurt’s passing. I remember clearly being with him and Gene at Lake Clear years ago. Great memories of family which will be in my mind forever.
Gene,
We want you to know that we’re thinking of you, after your loss. When we first moved to Fayetteville and lived across Highland from you and Kurt, we shared in your gracious and warm gatherings and always enjoyed Kurt’s well-chosen words and quiet humor. And you were delightful together.
Thinking of you,
Ken and Donna
I met Kurt regularly at the annual meetings of the German Studies Association around the country, which his son Felix eventually would also attend regularly. I greatly valued his fine scholarship on the American occupation of Upper Austria and the Marshall Plan’s influence on the massive steel industry in Linz.– produced for a Marshall Plan conference in New Orleans and subsequently published in “Contemporary Austrian Studies,” a journal to which he became a regular contributor. Kurt was a very kind man, particularly when it came to supporting younger scholars. I was lucky enough to get that support too. I met his wife Gene and Felix at GSA meetings and fondly remember an evening with Felix and his wife (and Friedl Garscha and his wife) in a Grinzing Heurigen.
Kurt will be greatly missed
Gene,
What a beautiful tribute to Kurt and the life you shared for an amazing 63 years. Your devotion to each other is a constant inspiration to me. How very dear to read an obituary that highlights the fascinating twists and turns of a life well lived. This puts a smile on my face and carries a joyful feeling that keeps his spirit living on in our hearts and minds. May the joy you share with others come back to you many times over. Kurt will be deeply missed by many, but remembered always for his wit and wisdom.
Heartfelt condolences, Sandy White
My condolences. Kurt got me started on my academic career while I was stationed in Germany teaching two of my Masters Degree courses at Ramstein AFB. Also loved visiting him and Gene at Clear Lake. I too sorely miss him.
Dear Gene, I was saddened to read of your loss and want to share my sympathy both to you and your family. I know you must feel blessed to have shared such a good, caring life together.
Judy Smith
Dr. Tweraser certainly was an expert in international relations and comparative politics. I very much enjoyed his graduate courses. He was a great guiding light and an excellent mentor. My condolences to his family and friends.
Dear Gene and family
So many memories. So much love and friendship shared for so many years. My deepest condolences to your family and you, dear Gene.
Maura Kennedy Anaya
Many heartfield condolences from Juliane and Lorenz Mikoletzky, Vienna, Austria
What a playful, joy-filled tribute to a person of just those qualities. Thank you for this beautiful essay about a life that was a model of how to live. And thank you for including all of us in your warm glow across the decades … from family-building to Wednesday night dinners to lively talk about teaching, books, politics, birds, and sports. So much love to Gene and all of Kurt’s extended family. <3
Professor Tweraser was a great man. I was a student in two of his graduate seminar courses at the time of the merger of West and East Germany and then during the launch of the European Union. He was the right person to teach us about the context of those events. He also told us about his experiences during the last months of World War II in Austria as a teenager. He provided helpful counsel to me for a paper I was writing for his class. At the end of the semester he hosted the class at his house for a Central European dinner. I would have taken more courses from him but he retired and I got my M.A. about the same time, so that was it. We’re fortunate he spent his career here.
Kurt Tweraser was the first professor I met when I transferred to the U of A in 1978…. at arena registration. He was courteous but brief, yet somehow I felt we’d made a connection. Two or three courses later that connection was much deeper. I, too, had the opportunity already mentioned above, … of being hosted for a goulash dinner in at the end of a graduate seminar on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Must have been 1980. A few intervening years and low and behold, Lindi and I were living across and down the street, so that relationship grew even deeper, and getting to know Gene better was absolutely fantastic. We left the neighborhood but twenty-five years later, I’d see him or them together at the HPER on campus and … of course we’d pick up right where we left off. Great human beings who were always happy to stop and visit, advise, teach, learn, but mostly just to share themselves. I’m just so much better a person for knowing him.
To Gene and her entire family, we send our condolences upon the passing of Kurt. Our families were close in so many ways and for so many years that we will continue the bond as long as we live Hugs to all of you
Evan and Anita
The Buche Family (across the street neighbors on Highland from ’69 to ’75) send condolences. Mr. Tweraser had a great train set we kids loved! My Mom, Ann (still going at 90) remembers Tuesday parties with Kurt and Gene fondly.