On April 25, 1817, Josef von Sonnenfels, a prominent representative of the Enlightenment in Austria, died.
The Freemason and Illuminatus was appointed to the newly created Professorship for "Polizei- und Kameralwissenschaft" (political science) at the University of Vienna in 1763 and was elected as rector in 1794 and 1796. His work entitled "Grundsätze der Polizey, Handlung und Finanz" (Principles of Police, Action and Finance) was approved in 1769, and used as an authoritative textbook at the Austrian universities until 1848. As an enlightened reformer, he also participated in comprehensive legal codifications (Josefinisches Strafgesetz, Allgemeines bürgerliches Gesetzbuch) and obtained among others the abolition of torture in criminal law.
In 1891 a monument had been erected in the arcaded court yard (Arkadenhof) of the University of Vienna. A century later (1998), he was honored by naming one of the "Gates of Remembrance".
