Josef Madersperger

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Josef Madersperger (1768–1850)
Madersperger's monument on Karlsplatz in Vienna

Josef Madersperger (born October 6, 1768 in Kufstein ; † October 2, 1850 in Vienna ) was a master tailor. He is considered one of the inventors of the sewing machine .

Life

Josef Madersperger moved with his father to Vienna in 1790 because his parents' house in Tyrol had burned down. It was there in 1807 that he began developing the sewing machine, into which he invested all his savings and all of his free time. In 1814 he presented his first sewing machine, which mimicked the movement of the sewing human hand, and was accordingly called "sewing hand". Madersperger did not use the privilege granted to him in 1815, corresponding to a patent, which expired after 3 years because he did not pay the fees required for the renewal in time.

For a time he made his way as a fruit dealer, as can be seen from the application to the magistrate for a license. However, it is not known how Madersperger practiced this trade. In any case, in 1823 he lived at Himmelpfortgasse 14 and was listed as a "former bourgeois tailor".

After a few unsuccessful attempts at improvement, Madersperger invented a machine in 1839 that imitated the weaving process and worked with the chain stitch . Since Madersperger had no money to build a factory, he donated his sewing machine model to the kk polytechnic institute in 1839 . In 1841 he received a bronze medal from the Lower Austrian Trade Association .

In 1850 Madersperger moved with his wife into the supply house in St. Marx, presumably because he - he was already 82 years old - was in need of care.

Madersperger died on October 2nd, 1850. That he died “completely impoverished” is probably a legend. He was buried in the nearby Sankt Marxer Friedhof .

memory

The Viennese tailors' guild had a cast iron cross erected at his approximate grave and maintains this to this day.

In 1933, a monument in honor of Josef Madersperger was unveiled in Resselpark on Karlsplatz , and streets in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz and Kufstein also bear his name. On the site of the former supply house in Sankt Marx , a community building was built from 1953 to 1956 , on which a plaque commemorates Madersperger. The facility is therefore called Madersperger-Hof by the residents .

In Kufstein, in Madersperger's birthplace, the “madersperger” museum is only 14 m² in size . The sewing machine collection of the city of Kufstein is exhibited here. These and other exhibits are explained and supplemented by a multimedia show and display boards.

photos

  • Memorial plaque at Maderspergerhof

  • Grave in the St. Marxer Friedhof

  • Madersperger Monument in Kufstein

  • Josef Madersperger's “sewing hand” around 1825, Technical Museum Vienna

literature

Web links

Commons : Josef Madersperger  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Thomas Chorherr (ed.): Great Austrians . Ueberreuter Verlag, Vienna 1985, ISBN 3-8000-3212-0 .
  2. ↑ Museum ( Memento of the original from December 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.kufstein.at
personal data
SURNAME Madersperger, Josef
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian master tailor and one of the inventors of the sewing machine
DATE OF BIRTH October 6, 1768
PLACE OF BIRTH Kufstein
DATE OF DEATH October 2, 1850
Place of death Vienna