Ernst Strasser was born in 1956 as the son of farmers in
Upper Austria. After the elementary school in
Grieskirchen, he attended the
"Bundesgymnasium und Sportrealgymnasium HIB Saalfelden" and later the upper school in
"BORG Grieskirchen", where he graduated in 1975 as a
school spokesman. Between 1971 and 1975, he was involved in Catholic youth organisations in Grieskirchen. Ernst Strasser studied
Jurisprudence at the
University of Salzburg between 1975 and 1980 and graduated there to the
Doctor of Laws in 1981. During his studies he was a member of the main committee of the students union at the
University of Salzburg as well as social referent of the same organisation. From 1980 to 1981 he did
community service as an alternative to
military service. In 1998, Ernst Strasser was elected president of
Hilfswerk Österreich, the largest health care aid organisation in
Lower Austria, that provides help for children and adolescents with more than 4,000 employees and over 20,000 clients. The focus of his term until 2011 was the relocation of the state office in the government district to
St. Pölten, the establishment of home service, the establishment of the visit service for older citizens, the opening of the first company kindergarten in
Lower Austria, the launch of the ''"Lower Austrian women's telephone"'' as well as the consolidation and securing of financing of the organisation. Ernst Strasser is married to Elisabeth Strasser, who brought two children into the marriage. The couple lives in
Vienna and
Bad Ischl. == Professional career ==