Herz-Kestranek (family)

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The Herz-Kestranek family is a middle-class Austrian family of intellectuals.

The paternal from Pilsen native Wilhelm Kestranek (1863-1925), the eldest of seven children, was a friend and protege of Karl Wittgenstein . Wilhelm, called Vilmos, became the family patriarch, in whose house the monthly family day used to take place until 1915 (afterwards with Eugen and Ida Herz). The central director of the Prague Iron Industry Society held high positions in the Austrian coal and steel industry.

Wilhelm's sister Ida was adored by Hugo von Hofmannsthal , but married Eugen Herz (1875–1944), who, like his brother-in-law, made a name for himself in the Austrian coal and steel industry.

The fate of Stefan Herz-Kestranek (* 1909), the son of Ida and Eugen and father of the actor and author Miguel Herz-Kestranek , was dealt with in a book by the latter. Wilhelm Kestranek's nephew was friends with the Heimwehr leader Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg and also joined the Heimwehr himself . This and the repressed Jewish roots of the family made it necessary for him to flee to Switzerland in 1938. From exile in Switzerland, France and from the end of 1941 in Uruguay, Stefan Herz-Kestranek wrote interesting letters to his parents, which are now available as books.

One of the first interpretations of Ludwig Wittgenstein's tractatus logico-philosophicus comes from the architect, painter and philosopher Hans Kestranek (1873–1949), probably a younger brother of Wilhelm .

The entire family has been closely connected with the Salzkammergut , especially the town of Sankt Gilgen , since Wilhelm Kestranek had a large villa built there in 1906-07. Among other things, there were cultural and friendly contacts with members of the Zinkenbach painters' colony .

literature

  • Miguel Herz-Kestranek and Marie-Therese Arnbom (eds): So I only have myself: Stefan Herz-Kestranek - stations of an upper-class emigrant 1938-1945 . Böhlau, Vienna 1997
  • Hannes Stekl: Bourgeoisie in the Habsburg Monarchy . Vienna 1992, Volume 2 - especially pages 384 391
  • Albert Lichtblau , "A piece of paradise ...". Jewish summer visitors in St. Gilgen . In: Robert Kriechbaumer: The taste of transience. Jewish summer retreat in Salzburg. Vienna-Cologne-Weimar 2002, 281–315.

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