Friedrich Knie

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Friedrich Knie (1783-1850). Image around 1820

Friedrich Ernst Carl knee (* 24 October 1783 in Erfurt , † 5 February 1850 in Burgdorf ) was an Austrian circus director and founder of the circus - Dynasty knee .

Life

Father Johann Knie was a traveling dentist from Vienna, mother Johanna Maria nee Haueisen from Arnstadt in Thuringia. Son Friedrich was born on October 24, 1783 in the "Zum Propheten" inn in Erfurt, near the cathedral, and was baptized on the same day in the Protestant Predigerkirche.

Like his father, he wanted to be a doctor. However, in 1803 he broke off his medical studies. The performances of an equestrian troupe , especially the young Wilma, inspired him so much that he decided to go along with the troops. He was trained as a tightrope walker and art rider. The love affair did not last long, but Friedrich liked the life of an artist . In 1806 he founded an independent tightrope walker and artist company with acrobats and his own horses. Under the name of the "Viennese tightrope dance company", they performed with their uncovered arena in the countries of the Habsburg Monarchy, Bavaria , Baden and Prussia . He received much praise and recognition from kings and princes for his performances and became famous. In 1807 he met Antonia Stauffer (1786–1833) at a performance in Innsbruck. Antonia's father didn't like flirting with a traveler and unceremoniously put his daughter in a monastery . One night the two fled to Bohemia and got married. They had five children.

  • Rudolf (1808-1858)
  • Georg (1809-1849)
  • Karl (1813-1860)
  • Fanny Adelheid (1814-1857)
  • Franz (1816-1896)

The second generation was integrated into the circus business at an early age. At the time of the Napoleonic Wars , life in the circus was tough and uncertain, but thanks to their strong will and love for artistry, they repeatedly managed to stay afloat. From 1814 the knees appeared regularly in Switzerland . In 1828 a performance was given for the first time in Zurich and Rapperswil .

The sons Rudolf and Franz founded their own companies. Franz worked as a high wire artist with great success into old age. Brother Georg died in 1849. Father Friedrich died in Burgdorf in 1850, where the Knies spent the winter of 1849/50. The Burgdorf church book noted on February 5, 1850: "Friedrich Knie, father, born in Vienna. 66 years" and that the deceased was buried on February 7, 1850. Now Karl took over the management of the Knies Arena . Karl was married to Anastasia Knie-Staudinger. The two had seven children, all of whom were already involved in circus life as artists. The Knies Arena at that time developed into today's Swiss National Circus Circus Knie .

literature

Sources and Notes

  1. ↑ In the beginning there was love ( Memento from November 22, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Memento from Rapperswil-Jona. Retrieved September 11, 2015
  2. ↑ Online inventory of the State Archives of the Canton of Bern: K Burgdorf 31 Totenrodel, 1828–1868 (archive unit)
personal data
SURNAME Knee, Friedrich
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Knie, Friedrich Ernst Carl (full name); knee
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Founders of the Austrian Knie circus family
DATE OF BIRTH October 24, 1783
PLACE OF BIRTH Erfurt
DATE OF DEATH February 5, 1850
Place of death Burgdorf