Franz Wirer von Rettenbach

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Franz de Paula Augustin Wirer, Knight of Rettenbach, lithograph by Josef Kriehuber , 1835
Monument to Franz Wirer in Bad Ischl

Franz de Paula Augustin Wirer , later ennobled as Knight von Rettenbach (born April 2, 1771 in Korneuburg , Lower Austria , † March 30, 1844 in Vienna ) was court physician at the Viennese court and personal physician to Emperor Franz I , as well as teacher at the Vienna Medical School School and rector of the Vienna University .

Wirer used the healing properties of the brine and established Bad Ischl's international reputation by building the first Austrian brine bath .

Founder of the brine spa in Ischl

Archduke Ludwig , a brother of Emperor Franz I, spent every summer in Ischl since 1804. The concept of a real “ cure ” was only just beginning. Since about 1820, brine cures were also known and very popular for rheumatic diseases. The first mineral baths were built in Germany, France and England, and North Sea baths in particular produced the best results. As a result, attempts were made in Austria to replace the seawater with brine, as this has a similar mineral content to seawater, but the salt content (around 27 percent) of the brine could be better adapted to the individual case of illness.

A local doctor, Josef Götz, had analyzed the mineral-rich water, systematically applied it to saline workers who suffered from skin diseases and rheumatism by prescribing salt baths and published his findings with remarkable healing results. Interested in these results, Wirer, a former military doctor, now a teacher at the Vienna Medical School and personal physician to Emperor Franz I, later rector of the University of Vienna, traveled with some medical colleagues through the Salzkammergut to Ischl in 1821 . There was a saltworks there , where brine was a waste product. The healing power of Ischler salt springs was already at the time I Emperor Maximilian known. Wirer then came up with the idea of ​​building a brine bath in Ischl, especially since Ischl has an extraordinarily beautiful location and a good climate. The breakthrough came through Wirer's reputation.

Wirer systematically developed the project. He propagated a holistic therapy, according to which medical healing was essentially dependent on mental exhilaration and stimulated relaxation and tried to gain the favor of the imperial family. Initially, he took care of the gastronomic infrastructure. As late as 1821, for example, he brought the confectioner Zauner from Vienna to Ischl, since one of these was a must for imperial guests, and he ran the “Wirerkeller”.

In 1822, Wirer let the first forty spa guests, famous personalities, try the brine baths. They reported "the joy of being born again in their chests" and of course they carried out word of mouth accordingly. In 1823, Wirer and Götz finally founded the first Austrian brine bathing establishment. Wirer and Götz introduced brine baths into their medical practices as a therapy and sent their patients to Ischl for a cure.

Ischl's reputation quickly spread throughout Europe. As early as 1823, 10,000 spa guests are said to have come to Ischl. Soon the brine baths therefore had to be expanded: In 1828 the “Wirerspital” was built by adding more floors to the beneficiary's house. From 1830 on, Wirer built a large number of other medical and other facilities in Ischl that were necessary or beneficial for the expansion of Ischl into the health resort of Viennese society:

  • a steam bath , a mud bath , a bathing establishment in the Ischl, an “institute for the preparation of good mountain whey and fresh herbal juices”, facilities for “body gymnastics”.
  • the “Sophiens Esplanade” (formerly Traunplatz), with a memorial stone for Archduchess Sophie, and - at Wirer's own expense - various walks in and around Ischl.
  • The Ischl spa gardens are also a donation from Wirer (he stipulated in a contract that the garden was intended for this purpose forever and should never be occupied by buildings).
  • a stock corporation was founded, which had a theater built on Kreuzplatz.
  • a post office, a “small children's custody”, a “foreign hospital” and a “spinning school” are also based on Wirer's initiative.

Because of his merits, Wirer was raised to the nobility. In 1837/1838 Wirer became a co-initiator of the Society of Doctors in Vienna , whose presidency he held from 1841 until his death. Wirer died in high esteem on March 30, 1844 in Vienna. He is buried in a grave of honor in the Vienna Central Cemetery (group 0, row 1, number 55). In 1911 Wirerstraße in Vienna- Favoriten was named after him.

Writings from Wirer

  • Ischl and its brine baths , Vienna: Strauss, 1826
  • Contributions to the Badechronik von Ischl (etc.) , Vienna: Mechitaristen, 1836 (continuation of Wirer 1826)
  • Ischl and its sanatoriums. A handbook for doctors and laypeople ... , Vienna: Pfautsch, 1842
  • On vaccination and revaccination and the true worth of both (lecture), Vienna: Braumüller [u. a.], 1842

Literature on Wirer

Web links

Commons : Franz Wirer von Rettenbach  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Wirer von Rettenbach, Franz
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Knight von Rettenbach (title of nobility); Wirer, Franz de Paula Augustin (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Court physician at the Viennese court, personal physician to Emperor Franz I, founder of the Ischl brine bath
DATE OF BIRTH April 2, 1771
PLACE OF BIRTH Korneuburg , Lower Austria
DATE OF DEATH March 30, 1844
Place of death Vienna