Monika Salzer (born 11 February 1948) is an Austrian psychotherapist, Protestant theologian, pastor, columnist and author. She is noted for her work in clinical pastoral care, her contributions to the organization of the Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria, and as a co‑founder of the civic initiative “Omas gegen Rechts” (Grandmothers against the Right).
Early life and education
Salzer was born in Vienna into a multicultural family; her paternal grandparents were Croats from northern Burgenland, while her maternal grandparents originated from Vienna, Berlin and elsewhere. After completing secondary school (Matura), she trained as a laboratory assistant at the Vienna General Hospital and earned a diploma. She studied psychology at the University of Vienna from 1968 to 1970 and later pursued Protestant theology between 1977 and 1983. Salzer also completed training in systematic psychotherapy at the Institut für Systematische Therapie (IFS) and obtained a Master of Advanced Studies in systemic organizational development at the Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Continuing Education, University of Klagenfurt.
Professional career
From 1983 to 1985 Salzer worked on a research project at the Orthopädisches Krankenhaus Gersthof, producing a report on clinical pastoral care for seriously ill adolescents and young adults. Ordained as a pastor in 1989, she spent a decade at Vienna’s Kaiser‑Franz‑Josef‑Spital, where she directed education programs for voluntary pastoral caretakers (Seelsorger) and established liturgical services for bereaved families at the Lutheran City Church.
In 1994 she founded the association Zentrum für Seelsorge und Kommunikation (SeKo), affiliated with the Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession, which offered courses in death and grief counseling for more than a decade. Her systematic psychotherapy practice later expanded to include organizational development work for the Protestant Church, undertaken together with Michael Bünker and Thomas Krobath from 2000 to 2004.
From 2006 onward Salzer contributed a regular column “Im Gespräch” (“In Conversation”) to the Sunday edition Krone Bunt of Austria’s daily newspaper Kronen Zeitung.
Civic activism
In 2017 Salzer co‑founded “Omas gegen Rechts,” a grassroots movement opposing far‑right political developments in Austria and Germany. The initiative was formally registered as an association in May 2018 and has become known for its use of social media to mobilize older citizens in political protest.
Personal life
Monika Salzer is married to physician Martin Salzer, a specialist in bone tumours who founded the NGOs Austrian Doctors for Disabled and Doctors for Disabled International.
Selected works
Salzer has authored several publications on pastoral care, grief counseling, and organizational development within religious institutions, as well as opinion pieces in national newspapers.