Finanzministerium, Bundesministerium für Finanzen

Finance, Ministry of, official name: Federal Ministry of Finance, supreme authority in the financial administration of the federal government. All other agencies of financial administration come under its jurisdiction (at the lowest level of authority are the revenue offices and customs offices, the second level of authority is represented by the provincial finance offices in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Feldkirch, Graz and Klagenfurt). The finance ministry also has jurisdiction over the Federal Pensions Office, the Finanzprokuratur, the Hauptpunzierungs- und Probieramt (Central Hallmarking and Assay Office), the Austrian Postal Savings Bank and the Austrian Mint Office (Münze Österreich AG). In 1996 the Ministry of Finance also assumed the role of owner for the ÖIAG (Österreichische Industrie Holding AG) and for the Austrian postal and telecommunications companies (PTBG).

In addition the Ministry of Finance is responsible for the following areas: matters of the system of public finances and of Revenue-sharing, drawing up the federal budget proposal and managing the federal budget (Federal Budget), supervision of the banking and insurance sectors, controlling federal assets, matters of public accountants, financial matters of civil servants as well as negotiating on the granting of government loans.

The Ministry of Finance, formerly the Hofkammer, has been located in the winter residence of Prince Eugène at Himmelpfortgasse in Vienna´s 1st district since 1848; from 1957 to 1959 a modern wing was added. From 1918 to 1920 and in 1945 the Ministry of Finance was officially named the "Staatsamt für Finanzen" ("State Agency for Financial Matters").

Literature: B. Mauhart (ed.), Das Winterpalais des Prinzen Eugen, 1979; H. Waitzbauer (ed.), Prinz Eugen - Winterpalais, 1998.