Johann Puch

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Johann Puch towards the end of the 19th century
The Puch Voiturette from 1906
At the Puchhaus in Bad Radkersburg, a sgraffito reminds us that Puch worked in Anton Gerschack's workshop there.
Dedicated to my dear friend by Kapellmeister Eduard Wagnes .
Puch himself worked on this lathe, found in the Reinerhof in Graz .

Johann Puch , Slovenian Janez Puh , (born June 27, 1862 in Sakuschak , Austrian Empire , † July 19, 1914 in Zagreb ) was a craftsman, industrialist and founder of the Puch factory .

youth

Janez Puh was born the seventh child into a Slovene-speaking family of small farmers ( Keuschler ). He left his parents' house at the age of eight and began an apprenticeship as a locksmith in Pettau at the age of twelve . After completing his apprenticeship in 1877, he went on a hike, and from 1882 he did his three years of military service, during which he was employed as a locksmith in the stuff depot in Graz . From 1885 he changed employers several times in order to train himself further in bicycle construction and soon became a sought-after specialist. He was also active as a cyclist himself and was part of the Graz Cyclist Club .

First company foundation

In 1889 Puch traveled to a bicycle exhibition in Leipzig and subsequently took over the representation of the English Humber-Werke and the German company Winklhofer & Jännicke. After several attempts, in September 1889 he received the operating permit for a bicycle workshop on the grounds of his in-laws' nursery. In the same year, the first Puch wheel, a safety low wheel, was delivered under the brand name Styria (Latin for the federal state of Styria , in whose state capital Puch established its business). He also advertised his driving school, in which he targeted female customers. As early as the middle of 1890, the workshop proved to be too small, and Puch moved into a larger building with the financial support of a partner. In 1891 the trading company "Johann Puch & Comp." Was registered and employed 34 workers.

The breakthrough for the Styria bike was the third place of the racing driver Franz Gerger in the distance bike ride Vienna – Berlin in 1893; Puch also had the winner of the first Paris – Roubaix race , Josef Fischer, as well as the multiple high bike champion and Vienna-Berlin participant Bruno Büchner under contract. Styria bikes were exported to England and France.

Johann Puch himself fell ill with the heart in 1893 and had to curtail himself. However, since the demand for wheels was still high, the Bielefelder Maschinenfabrik joined as a limited partner . In 1895 Puch employed 330 workers who produce around 6,000 bicycles a year. In the same year, however, there were also strikes and bloody demonstrations by workers, which resulted in shorter working hours and wage increases.

Foundation of the Puch works

In 1897 Puch left the company, which was now called Johann Puch & Comp., Styria Fahrradwerke , due to disagreements with the new partners , with a severance payment on the condition not to open a competitor for two years; He circumvented this rule by initially opening a new company under the name of one of his employees. In 1899 the new company was entered in the commercial register as Johann Puch - Erste Steiermärkische Fahrrad-Fabriks-Actien Gesellschaft in Graz . In addition to bicycles, motorcycles and automobiles were also manufactured there. During the First World War , the company was a supplier to the Austro-Hungarian Army .

In 1912 Puch withdrew from the management of the Puch works after renewed heart problems and devoted himself mainly to his racehorses, but returned to the board of directors in spring 1914. During a horse race in Zagreb, then Agram, he died of a heart attack .

Honors

  • The Graz Kapellmeister Eduard Wagnes dedicated a march of his own to him, the Puch March .
  • In Bad Radkersburg , the Puchhaus is a reminder that Johann Puch completed part of his training in this building.
  • A sponsorship award for diploma theses from Magna Holding AG , which has taken over parts of the Puch works, was named in memory of Johann Puch.
  • A bridge was dedicated to Johann Puch (Janez Puh) in the Slovenian city of Ptuj (Pettau) . (Photos structural data)
  • Puchstrasse is named after Johann Puch in Graz , in the districts of Gries (V.) and Puntigam (XVII.), Which leads to the former Puch factory (Einserwerk), now an industrial park, and then on to Puntigamer Strasse.
  • In 1972 Puchgasse in Vienna- Donaustadt (22nd district) was named after him.
  • In 2012, the Austrian Post issued a special stamp with the portrait of the vehicle technician.

Tomb

Johann Puch, the founder of the Styrian bicycle industry, was buried at the Graz central cemetery (field 13b II 5).

The grave of Johann Puch / Janez Puh in Graz

literature

  • FF Ehn: The great Puch book. The two-wheelers from 1890 to 1987. 5th edition, Weishaupt, Graz 2000, ISBN 3-900310-49-1 .
  • FF Ehn: The Puch automobiles 1900–1990. 2nd Edition. Weishaupt, Graz 2000, ISBN 3-900310-54-8 .
  • Hilde Harrer: Grazer Fahrradvereine 1882–1900, a contribution to the history of Styrian cycling Historical Provincial Commission for Styria, Graz 1998, ISBN 3-901251-12-X (= research on the historical regional studies of Styria , Volume 41, also updated, partly abridged thesis at the University of Graz 1992 under the title: Fahrradkultur im Spiegel der Grazer Radfahrvereine 1882–1900 , Volume 41, VIII, 392 pages, illustration, 25 cm).
  • Josef Mentschl:  Puch Johann. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 20, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-428-00201-6 , pp. 755 f. ( Digitized version ).
  • Martin Pfundner: Austro Daimler and Steyr. Rivals until the merger. Ferdinand Porsche's early years . Böhlau, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-205-77639-0 .
  • Gerhard Pferschy: Johann Puch, a pioneer in vehicle construction. in: Ferdinand Tremel (Ed.): Styrian entrepreneurs of the 19th and 20th centuries. A collection of images of life. in: Journal of the Historisches Verein für Steiermark , special volume 9, Graz 1965, pp. 58–65.
  • Hermann Rinner: From bicycle mechanic to engine pioneer. In: Messenger of St. Anthony. April 2003, ( online ).
  • H.Seper:  Johann Puch. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 8, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1983, ISBN 3-7001-0187-2 , p. 320 f. (Direct links on p. 320 , p. 321 ).
  • Wolfgang Wehap: fresh, cycling, Styrian. A journey through time through the regional cultural history of cycling. Steirische Verlags-Gesellschaft, Graz 2005, ISBN 3-85489-126-1 , p. 103 ff.
  • Walter Kleindel, Hans Veigl : The great book of the Austrians. 4500 person representations in words and pictures, names, dates, facts. Kremayr & Scheriau , Vienna 1987, ISBN 3-218-00455-1 .

Web links

Commons : Johann Puch  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ AUTOMOBILISM. In:  Allgemeine Sport-Zeitung , issue 25/1914, p. 805 (online at ANNO ).Template: ANNO / Maintenance / asz
  2. ↑ sekretaer: The Puch March. In: Johann Puch Museum. March 31, 2013, accessed April 3, 2013 .
  3. ↑ Johann Puch Automotive Awards announced | FFG. Retrieved July 5, 2018 .
  4. ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/bridgink/5841536964/ Photos: Puch Bridge in Ptuj (Slovenia)
  5. ↑ http://de.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?id=s0036182/ Structural data of the Puch bridge in Ptuj (Slovenia)
  6. ↑ Karin Derler, Ingrid Urbanek: Planning for Infinity - The Graz Central Cemetery . Steirische Verlagsgesellschaft, 2002, ISBN 3-85489-086-9 .
  7. ↑ Puch project work (requested on January 16, 2010; PDF; 713 kB)
personal data
SURNAME Puch, Johann
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Janez Puh (Slovenian spelling)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Engineer and industrialist
DATE OF BIRTH June 27, 1862
PLACE OF BIRTH Sakušak near Georgendorf near Pettau , Lower Styria
DATE OF DEATH July 19, 1914
Place of death Zagreb