August Zang

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August Zang

August Zang (born August 2, 1807 in Vienna ; † March 4, 1888 there ) was an Austrian entrepreneur , inventor , newspaper publisher and politician .

Life

Zang's former bakery in Paris, 1909 (with reference to the founder)

The son of the surgeon Christoph Bonifaz Zang joined the military after dropping out of high school and invented the percussion rifle , but left the pioneer corps at the age of 29 to pursue an entrepreneurial career. Zang went to Paris, accompanied by Ernst Schwarzer, and there he introduced Viennese pastries with great success, especially the machine-made " croissant " that was subsequently turned into the Parisian croissant . Due to his contacts with Émile de Girardin , the founder of La Presse , and the journalist Leopold Landsteiner (1817 Vienna - February 22, 1875 there), Zang began to be interested in journalism. After freedom of the press was introduced in Austria in March 1848, Zang sold his Paris company and moved to Vienna.

On June 16, 1848, together with Ernst Schwarzer and Leopold Landsteiner, he published the first issue of the Kleine Reichstag newspaper for the instruction of the people , but it only appeared until June 20. On July 3, 1848, the first edition of the large-format newspaper Die Presse appeared ; Zang was the publisher, Landsteiner the responsible editor-in-chief, and the newspaper was printed by Ghelens Erben. It soon became one of the most important newspapers in the monarchy and was seen as a guide to modern journalism in Austria.

Zang, described as a tough businessman, got into numerous conflicts with journalists from his own company and other newspapers, including Moritz Gottlieb Saphir , Max Friedländer and Michael Etienne . The latter two eventually left the editorial team and founded the New Free Press in 1864 .

August Zang's obituary notice

From 1861 he sat as a representative of the 3rd Viennese district Landstrasse in the Vienna City Council and advocated, among other things, the project of a wholesale market hall in the style of Les Halles in Paris. In the water supply commission, he appeared in vain against Eduard Suess's plan to build the first Viennese spring water pipeline and resigned his mandate in 1863. (Zang had advocated a - cheaper - river water project) In 1867 Zang sold the press , the editorial office of which was located in his house at Seidlgasse 3, and in the same year founded the "kk privileged Österreichische Vereinsbank", which he managed until 1872. Until his death he lived as an extremely wealthy landowner, his estate was estimated at 10 million  Fl , with his own palace in Johannesgasse, Greißenegg Castle near Voitsberg, mines, etc. From his royalties as a member of the Lower Austrian Landtag, Zang donated scholarships for the needy Student. Zang died shortly after midnight on the night of March 3rd to 4th.

He is buried in an arcade crypt designed by Heinrich Natter at the Vienna Central Cemetery (group AAL, number 23).

Arcaded crypt

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ † August Zang .. In:  Neue Freie Presse , March 5, 1888, p. 3 (online at ANNO ).Template: ANNO / Maintenance / nfp
  2. ↑ August Zang. †. In:  Die Presse , March 5, 1888, p. 1 (online at ANNO ).Template: ANNO / maintenance / apr

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Zang, August
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian entrepreneur, inventor, newspaper publisher and politician
DATE OF BIRTH August 2, 1807
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH March 4, 1888
Place of death Vienna