| Born: | 04-29-1907 |
| Faculty: | Law School |
| Category: | Expelled student |
Stefan PETÖ (Stephen PETO), born on April 29th, 1907, in Budapest/Austro-Hungarian Empire [Hungary] (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, citizenship 1938: Austria), son of Alexander Petö, ne Pollak, 1865–1939, civil servant) and Leonie Petö, née Pach (1878–?). He had passed his school-leaving examination (Matura) in 1925 and was enrolled at the Hochschule für Welthandel [University of Economics] from fall term of 1925/26 to spring term of 1931, where he passed his diploma examination on December 6th, 1929. The fact that he attended a seventh and eighth semester after successfully completing the six-semester diploma course may indicate that he intended to acquire the newly introduced title of Doctor of Commercial Sciences after the doctoral regulations came into force in 1930 (however, there is no evidence of an actual degree in the WU university archives). He continued his studies at the Philosophical School of the University of Vienna where he was enrolled from fall term 1932/33 till spring term of 1934 an took courses in mathematics, physics and chemistry (without graduation). In fall term of 1934/35 he enrolled at the School of Law at the University and was last enrolled there in the 4th and final year of his law studies in the spring term of 1938. He then lived in Vienna's 8th district, Schönborngasse 15.
After the takeover of power of National-Socialism in 1938 he was forced to quit his studies for racist reason without a chance to graduate. He requested to continue his studies in the context of the 2% numerus clausus of Jewish Students, was first allowed to continue for about two months. He informed about the change of address to Vienna's 16th district, Redtenbachgasse 15 and enrolled on June 14th, 1938 lectures like About crime ("Erforschung der Verbrechen"), Forms of Crime ("Erscheinungslehre des Verbrechens") and Austrian Financial Laws ("Österr. Finanzrecht"), but finally was forced to leave the University of Vienna without a degree.
Stefan Petö had to flee Austria and managed to emigrate to Great Britain in time, but was interned there as an enemy alien and deported to Australia on the ship HMT "Dunera" on July 10th, 1940. There he was interned in Camp Hays. His father could not emigrate in time and died in Vienna in 1939.
Stephen Peto could return to England in February 1942 and married Johanna Maria E. G. Stadlen (1921–2003) there in 1943 and daughter Maxine Lida Leonie Sturdy, née Petö (1944–2003) was born in Nottingham in 1944, son Timothy Edward Alexander Petö in Hampstead Belsize Park, London, England in 1950.
Stephen Peto, ne Stefan Petö, died on April 14th, 1974, in Shrivenham Swindon, England.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms Law School ("Nationale IUR") 1937–1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 447; information by courtesy of Dr. Elisabeth Lebensaft, Vienna 10/2023, PD Dr. Johannes Koll, Vienna 03/2024 and Dr. Ulrike Denk 04/2024; www.ancestry.de.
Herbert Posch
