Florian Pojatzi

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Florian Pojatzi

Florian Pojatzi (born January 15, 1830 in Deutschlandsberg ; † August 15, 1917 in Graz ) was an Austrian industrialist.

childhood and education

Pojatzi was born on January 15, 1830, the son of the businessman Florian Pojatzi and his wife, Theresia Kröll, in Deutschlandsberg in Styria. Florian jun. first attended elementary school for six years and normal school for another three years . He then learned the trade and commerce with Kaufmann Süss in Kirchberg .

Professional background

In 1850, at the age of 20, Pojatzi took over his father's general store. He had died in 1843 and the mother had run the business with her second husband ever since. In the same year, she married Maria Kratzer, a businessman's daughter from Straden .

In 1856 he began in Hörbing, today a district of Deutschlandsberg, with the production of matches on a small scale. The prince Liechtenstein hunter Johann Eisenhut was at his side as a wood specialist. He appointed August Devide from the Vienna-based company Pollak as the works manager. After initial difficulties, he was able to set up a new factory in his birthplace Deutschlandsberg as early as 1861.

Together with two new consultants, Carl Franz and Moritz Czerweny from Neunkirchen, Pojatzi expanded the workshops into a factory in 1865. With Carl Franz, he also founded a straw paper factory in 1868 and a year later a paper factory in Burgegg (today the municipality of Deutschlandsberg). This was followed in 1869 by a wood grinding shop in Schwanberg . Since he didn't have the time to take care of his father's business on the side, Pojatzi decided to give it up. He therefore sold it to his future son-in-law Franz Kohlfürst in 1872.

Due to financial difficulties during the financial crisis, the paper mills were sold in 1873. He expanded his export area very quickly and registered his own brand name with the “beehive”, which became known worldwide. In 1885 the company's annual turnover was 1,500,000 guilders (approx. 20 million euros). The company appeared at all world exhibitions and achieved numerous first prizes for its innovations.

While production was initially limited to ordinary sulfur woods, the company later switched to the production of galvanized, multi-colored minimum paraffin woods and then to varnished potash sticks. A significant expansion of the company took place in 1879 with the purchase of the Kollmann & Co. match factory located in Stainz . Soon the combined companies were among the most modern match factories in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy . They produced around 100 types of different matches, from simple matchsticks to the salon woods, which were exported to China under the name "Vienna matches".

From 1880, between 600 and 700 workers were permanently employed in the two factories. Another 1,000 made the wooden cans needed for packaging at the time. The sliding boxes that are still common today did not become established until 1890.

In 1892 Florian Pojatzi, who offered his workers exemplary social benefits, left active management. The daily output of the production amounted to 50,000,000 matches at that time. In 1899, his son-in-law Franz Czerweny von Arland , who until then had acted as a public partner, took over the company as the sole owner.

Social and political work

Pojatzi was the first chairman of the Deutschlandsberg regional council and was a long-term member of the Deutschlandsberg municipal council. From 1865 to 1867 and from 1878 to 1883 he was mayor of the market. On July 6, 1883, he was given the honor of welcoming Emperor Franz Josef on the occasion of his visit to Hollenegg.

In 1866 he founded the Sparkasse in Deutschlandsberg together with the later district captain Ferdinand Praunegger, which he chaired for many years. He was also responsible for the relocation of the district administration from Stainz to Deutschlandsberg. Furthermore, through courage and diplomatic skill, he managed to build a train station originally planned for the Frauental area in Deutschlandsberg.

Florian Pojatzi was a Knight of the Franz Josef Order and Knight of the Order of the Iron Crown . Furthermore, he was a co-founder and honorary member of the men's choir and the fire department. The establishment of the Stainz and Deutschlandsberg company fire departments was based on his initiative. For many years he was also a member of the National and Relief Society of the Red Cross as a member of the central committee.

In addition to his two-fold work as mayor, Pojatzi held numerous club functions and political offices. From 1861 to 1904 he was a councilor. In 1870 he became chairman of the school competition committee. On this occasion he donated the sum of 20 (approx. 270 euros) guilders for the construction of a youth library.

Supporting poorer students was a major concern of his life. For example, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the emperor's throne, he sponsored 1,200 guilders (approx. 16,000 euros) for the purchase of clothes for poor students. In 1879 he was elected to the district council. On November 2, 1888, the community honored him for his services with the award of honorary citizenship.

death

Pojatzi died in Graz on August 15, 1917. He was buried in the family crypt at the Deutschlandsberg local cemetery.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Entry in the baptismal registers of the Deutschlandsberg parish, article in the Weststeirische Rundschau.
  2. ↑ L. Reichenwallner: Chronicle of the Deutschlandsberg factory, the "SOLO" Zündwaren u. chem. Factories A.-G. Vienna. D.-Landsberg 1930, p. 7
  3. ↑ L. Reichenwallner (1930): p. 8
  4. ↑ L. Reichenwallner (1930): p. 9
  5. ↑ a b c O. Pickl:  Pojatzi, Florian (1830-1917), industrialist. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 8, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1983, ISBN 3-7001-0187-2 , p. 158 f. (Direct links on p. 158 , p. 159 ).
  6. ↑ L. Reichenwallner (1930): p. 10
  7. ↑ a b c calculation according to [1]
  8. ↑ https://www.pojatzi.com/
  9. ↑ a b L. Reichenwallner (1930): p. 11
  10. ↑ Solo brochure
  11. ↑ a b L. Reichenwallner (1930): p. 13
  12. ↑ L. Reichenwallner (1930): p. 14
personal data
SURNAME Pojatzi, Florian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian industrialist
DATE OF BIRTH January 15, 1830
PLACE OF BIRTH Deutschlandsberg
DATE OF DEATH August 15, 1917
Place of death Graz