Alfred Noll Passes Away: A Tribute to the Lawyer, Politician and Free-Thinker
Picture a lawyer who not only knows the law backwards but also writes hefty books on Thomas Hobbes – and then decides to jump into politics. That was Alfred J. Noll, who passed away shortly after Christmas at the age of 63. A profound loss for the Austrian legal landscape and for everyone who knew him as a sharp-tongued debater.
To many, he was simply "Alfred Noll" – the lawyer with the quiet voice and razor-sharp arguments. If you ever encountered him in court, you wouldn't forget him in a hurry. Whether it was high-profile political trials or fundamental constitutional questions, Noll was always a guarantee of depth and unconventional thinking. His trademark was a touch of philosophy in everyday legal practice.
From University Professor to Politician
Born in 1960, Alfred J. Noll had a rapid rise in academia early on. He completed his post-doctoral qualification and became a university professor of law – but that was never enough for him. He wanted to leave the ivory tower and get stuck into real life. So, he not only wrote academic treatises (including a highly regarded work on Thomas Hobbes) but also founded his own law firm. And then, in 2008, he entered the National Council for the Greens. For three years, he shook up federal politics before returning to focus entirely on legal practice in 2011.
A Jurist with Political Instincts
As an MP, Alfred Noll wasn't one to simply toe the party line. He always remained a free-thinker, someone who preferred to look twice before passing judgment. That didn't always make him comfortable – but it always made him credible. During the proceedings of the Hypo Alpe Adria inquiry committee, he once again demonstrated his full skill set: acting as a legal observer for Caritas, using his legal acumen to expose the puppet masters.
His career was marked by an impressive breadth:
- As a lawyer: Representing clients in highly sensitive cases, such as for Caritas in the Hypo inquiry committee or for whistleblowers.
- As an author: Numerous publications, including the widely cited work "Thomas Hobbes – Alfred J. Noll: An Approach" and countless essays on legal philosophy and constitutional law.
- As a politician: Greens MP in the National Council (2008–2011) focusing on justice and the constitution.
- As a person: A quiet connoisseur, who hid a dry wit behind his often contemplative facade.
Speaking of wit: his surname was occasionally misspelled as "Alfred Noller" in the media. He was said to just give a weary smile about it – the main thing was that the content was right. And the content was almost always right with him. When he pleaded before the Constitutional Court, not only the judges listened intently, but also the junior colleagues who wanted to learn from him.
A Tribute Filled with Sadness
His death leaves a void. In recent days, companions from politics and the judiciary have said their goodbyes, and all agreed: Alfred J. Noll was the kind of jurist the country could do with more of – intelligent, incorruptible, and always searching for the truth behind the statutes. From judicial circles, it was heard that the republic has lost one of its most distinguished minds. Colleagues remember his quiet manner, the brief pauses before an answer, during which he weighed every word carefully. And his ability to dissect complex issues so that even a layperson understood what was really at stake. That's exactly what makes a great lawyer – not reciting paragraphs, but explaining justice.
In that spirit: Rest in peace, Alfred Noll. The republic has lost one of its brightest minds.