In his youth, he took a job as an education expert in the Chamber of Labor in Klagenfurt.

In 1934, he was fired from his job because of his membership in the Social Democratic Party of Austria.

Afterwards, he joined the illegal Revolutionary Socialists of Austria [de] (RSÖ) during the Fatherland Front regime.

After the annexation of Austria in Nazi Germany in 1938, Pittermann was fired from his teaching position.

In 1966, he resigned as head of the party and was succeeded by Bruno Kreisky.