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The Klein von Wisenberg family was an old Austrian entrepreneurial family, whose roots go back to the late 18th century and which were best known during the 19th century. It was mainly native to Moravia .

The most famous representatives of the family were six brothers in the second generation, who are mentioned in numerous chronicles, especially in Moravia and Austrian Silesia . In the literature, however, one usually only finds Franz and the youngest Hubert . It is also not easy to decide whether the services mentioned really apply to an individual or, for the sake of simplicity , are only related to Franz , as Franz was in charge of the Klein brothers throughout his life.

First generation

The first parents are Johann Friedrich Klein (born January 8, 1756 in the Mährisch-Schönberg district ; † September 30, 1835 in Groß Raigern ) and Maria Elisabeth Hampel . They married in 1790.

Second generation

The Klein von Wisenberg brothers, lithograph by Josef Kriehuber , 1849
  • Josef Engelbert (born February 9, 1792 in Wiesenberg in Moravia; † September 28, 1830 in Groß Raigern )
  • Franz (born April 27, 1800 in Wiesenberg; † August 29, 1855 in Seibersdorf in Austria-Silesia)
  • Engelbert (born August 27, 1797 in Wiesenberg, † April 9, 1830 in Jägerndorf )
  • Libor (born February 2, 1803 in Zuckmantel , † February 9, 1848 in Brno )
  • Albert (born January 16, 1807 in Wiesenberg; † October 31, 1877 in Zöptau )
  • Hubert (December 31, 1811 in Wiesenberg; † July 28, 1856 in Rzeszów in Poland).

Franz learned the gardening trade. Together with his brothers, he soon became self-employed and carried out road and water works. Due to the good reputation that the growing company soon had, it received its first state contract in 1815. The company, which soon expanded its activities to all branches of the construction industry, carried out river regulations, built roads and railways and built train stations. Of these services, the regulation of the March and the construction of the Semmering Railway should be emphasized.

Franz was in charge of these companies until his death. He is considered socially committed and, for example, set up spinning schools.

Franz was married to Franziska Hillebrandt from Brno, with whom he had four children.

In 1859 Albert Klein received the Austrian noble title of noble , in 1864 the title of knight and in 1872 the title of baron , so that from then on he called himself Albert Klein von Wisenberg . As a result, this title was also passed on to his nephew Franz, the son of his brother Franz. In 1862 he founded the Keltschan share sugar factory . Albert was married to Amalie Langer from Silesia. He had eleven children with her.

After completing his technical studies, he joined the company of his brothers and was mainly concerned with lignite mining in Tscheitsch (Okres Hodonín | Göding district). In the glassworks that was also built there, gas produced from lignite was first used productively in 1852 using a process developed in-house. He also founded numerous charitable foundations.

He was married to Franziska Podušková.

More offspring

  • Franziska (1853–1940), daughter of Franz Klein von Wisenberg and Leopoldine Hauptmann (5th generation), was married to Franz von Ringhoffer .
  • Friederike (1855–1936), another daughter, was married to Emanuel Freiherr von Ringhoffer.
  • Marie (1858–1951), another daughter, was married in her first marriage to Carl Freiherr von Ludwig, kuk Feldmarschall-Lieutenant, and her second marriage to Viktor Freiherr von Ringhoffer.
  • Emmy Freiin von Ringhoffer (1858–1947), daughter of Franz Freiherr von Ringhoffer and Josephine Schallowetz, was married to Franz Freiherr Klein von Wisenberg (1851–1930)

Joint ventures

Railway lines in the Czech Republic built by the Klein brothers.
One of the bridges built by Klein from 1888 over the March ( Morava )

The Klein brothers were among the pioneers of railroad construction in the Imperial and Royal Monarchy . The first line they built was built in 1837 between Vienna and Gänserndorf ( Kaiser-Ferdinands-Nordbahn ). The Klein brothers company was founded in 1847 . By 1873 the Klein brothers had built over 3,500 kilometers of railway lines throughout the monarchy. Today's Masaryk train station in Prague (Masarykovo nádraží) was also built by a consortium of brothers with Karl Adalbert Lanna .

In 1844 the brothers acquired the rule Zöptau ( Czech : Sobotin ), and with it the old Zöptau ironworks . Owning these works enabled the company to manufacture the steel required for the buildings themselves, and thus more cheaply and quickly. A bridge building factory was built in Zöptau, which initially produced chain bridges, later also other steel bridges. By 1898, 1,436 railway bridges had been built alone.

The family today

The descendants of the family live in Austria and Germany.

literature

Family mausoleum in Zöptau

Web links

Commons : Familie Klein  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Freiherr Klein von Wisenberg , accessed on October 25, 2009.