Karl Wolf (theater manager)

Karl (Carl) Alois Wolf (born April 11, 1848 in Merano , Tyrol (now South Tyrol , Italy ); † February 3, 1912 in Merano) was an Austrian theater director, folk writer, playwright, founder, author and director of the Meraner Volksschauspiele, businessman , Pension holder, patron of the 1st Haflinger farm horse race and commander of the Merano volunteer fire brigade .

Fire brigade commander 1898–1912

biography

He was born as the only son of the second marriage of the academic painter and Melbler Alois Anton Wolf (April 14, 1804 - January 14, 1864) and Anna Maria Zülli (December 21, 1814 - 1895). He attended the humanistic grammar school in Meran and from 1863 the secondary school in Rovereto . In 1864, because of the death of his father, he returned to his mother in Merano, began an apprenticeship as a businessman and already devoted himself to theater. Around 1866/1868 he voluntarily served under the first land storm company on the Tonale Pass ( Nonsberg ). After his return he worked as a salesman and headed the journeyman's theater in Bolzano. He then went to Vienna and found a job as a tour guide. He traveled to the Middle East, the Orient and North Africa. He bartered, smuggled rifles, hired himself as a clerk, construction worker, riding boy and magician.

In 1874 he returned to his sick mother and together with her ran the bread bank in Merano, which she had previously run alone. He also took over the management of the Gesellenvereintheater in Merano, where he carried out numerous changes and renovations, such as: B. the inclusion of women in the theater group, better education and more colorful programs.

Later he was also commissioned to create “ living pictures ” in the Kurhaus . Thereupon he took over the position of an amusement arranger for the spa administration and now organized parades, show trips, promenade parties and dance entertainments. UA he renamed the "Ball on the Alm" in Tyrolean Ball and redesigned it. In 1924 the name had to be changed to Alpenball, and in 1936 the entire ball was banned.

In 1877 he married Amalia Burgmann. From this marriage the children Pia Anna, Adele Anna, Paul Alois and Anna emerged.

In 1884 he was appointed to the spa chancellery. Around 1884–1886 acquisition of Villa Adelheid, which he renamed Pension Wolf; Today (2012) 4 * -Hotel Meranerhof. The pension was run by his wife. In 1886 he organized on the 50th anniversary of Merano as a spa town a. A. a terrific pageant.

In 1892 the Meraner Volksschauspiele were founded through his initiative, which he directed until his death.

In 1895 his mother died.

In 1896, together with Princess Pauline von Metternich and Mr. von Leon, he was the patron of the 1st Haflinger peasant gallop race. The Haflinger farmer's horse race still takes place today (2012) every year on Easter Monday at the Merano horse racing course.

From 1898 to 1912 he was in command of the Merano volunteer fire brigade.

Merano folk theater

From 1892 to 1914, historically documented events from the history of Merano and Tyrol were performed in an open-air theater on the Küchelberg in real historical costumes and with original props from that time with up to 300 participants. The lyrics are by Karl Wolf and Georg Husterer, the music by Johann Grissemann. "Andreas Hofer" and "Tiroler Helden" were played most frequently, along with "Andreas Hofer's excerpt from the third Isel battle" and "Duke Friedl with the empty pocket". The history of literature describes these Merano folk plays as the pinnacle of historical drama. The effect was so great because there were no professional actors here, but the people played themselves. In the second year of its existence, 27,000 visitors were counted. Personalities and artists from all over the world, even the emperor and the archdukes, came to the Meraner Volksschauspiele.

After his death, Otto Mayr, who had trained by him, took over as its successor. The curtain fell for the last time on White Sunday 1914. It was not until May 10, 1959, on the 150th anniversary of the Tyrolean struggle for freedom, that this tradition was continued with the play "Andreas Hofer" in the park of the Hotel Meranerhof. This was followed by further performances of this piece in 1989 and 2009 in the "Peter Thalguter" clubhouse in Algund .

Others

A street in Meran was named after him during his lifetime.

Works

Books (chronological selection)

• Tyrolean peasant life - 1888
• The Burggräfler, pictures from folk life - Innsbruck: Verlag der Wagner.schen Univ.-Buchhandlung - 1890 digital edition
• Origin of the Tiroler Glückringlein - Innsbruck: n.v. - 1894
• The spa town of Meran - Zurich: n.v. - 1887
• Three stories - Innsbruck: n.v. - 1897
• Stories from Tyrol, collections 1–4 - Innsbruck: undated - 1892–1898
• The history of the Merano civic band 1848–1898 - Merano: o.V. - 1898
• Co-author: The Southern Railway and its traffic area in Austria-Hungary - Brno: Rudolf M. Rohrer - 1899 digitized edition
• Three stories - Stuttgart: Adolf Bonz & Comp - around 1900
• Then and now, Merano sketches - Innsbruck 1901
• New stories from Tyrol - Innsbruck: A. Edlinger - 1902
• From the folk life of Tyrol - Innsbruck: A. Edlinger - 1902
• Sixt and Hartl - Innsbruck: A. Edlinger - 1903
• The old poster woman and other stories from Tyrol - Innsbruck: A. Edlinger - 1905
• Stories from Tyrol - Stuttgart: Adolf Bonz & Comp - 1908
• Tiroler Treue - Stuttgart: n.v. - 1909
• The old poster and other stories from Tyrol - Stuttgart: Adolf Bonz & Comp - n.d.
• Tyrolean heroes, story of the landlord on the Mahr and the Thalerwirt - drama, o. O., o. V. o. J.
• Co-author: Tyrol in 1809, Meraner Volksschauspiele, pictures from the liberation struggle, opposite the stages as a manuscript - above: Digitized edition in the self-published by the spa town of Merano - no year
• Two Marterln and other Tyrolean stories, Leipzig: Philipp 'Reclam jun.
• The spa town of Meran with Upper and Lower Maize and the surrounding area - Zurich: Caesar Schmidt

Plays (selection)

• Tyrol in 1809 - Merano 1892
• Tyrol in 1809, 2nd edition - Meran 1893
• Tyrol in 1809 - Merano 1894
• Tyrolean Heroes - Merano - 1894
• Tiroler Treue, pictures from the time (1414–1416) Duke Friedl with the empty pocket in South and West Tyrol and at the Burgrave Office - Merano - 1901
• Tyrol in 1809, pictures from the liberation struggles, 7th edition - Meran 1907
• Tyrolean heroes, pictures from the liberation struggles in 1809 in the Eisack Valley - Merano 1908
• Andreas Hofer, Tyrol in 1809, pictures from the liberation struggles - 1908
• Andreas Hofer, pictures from the liberation struggles 1809 - Innsbruck - 1909
• Andreas Hofer's excerpt from the third Isel battle

Newspaper articles (selection)

• The Landstürmer's Testament - Der Föhn - Volume 1 (1909–1910), Issue 5/6, Pages 145–146
• Meran - Travel and Sport - 1910, issue 10

literature

• Magazine: Der Föhn - Richard Wilhelm Polifka - Innsbruck - Volume 1 (1909–1910), Issue 4, p. 128
• Mathias Ladurner-Parthanes : Karl Wolf and his folk plays. Published by Raiffeisenkasse Algund, 1984

Web links

• Literature by and about Karl Wolf in the catalog of the German National Library

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Haflinger Italia ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ ^{a b} Voluntary Fire Brigade Merano ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ Meraner Nachrichten, March 2009, 9th year. No. 1 ( Memento of the original from July 14, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
4. ↑ Bozner Nachrichten of May 11, 1911
5. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x} Digitized library catalogs from the Universities of Graz and Innsbruck