Maximilian Thaddäus von Egger

Monument to Max Thaddäus Graf Egger in Lippitzbach

Maximilian Thaddäus Graf von Egger (born February 10, 1734 in Leoben , † May 15, 1805 in Vienna ) was an Austrian iron industrialist and founder of the trade dynasty of the Counts of Egger in Carinthia . Within only 25 years he managed to become the most powerful trade in Carinthia, to rise from the rank of nobility to the rank of count and to get more manors in Carinthia into his possession than any other man of his time.

Origin and academic career

Maximilian Thaddäus was born as one of eight children of his father Ferdinand Maximilian von Egger (October 4, 1693 - December 6, 1753) and his second wife Maria Anna, née von Catharin, in the iron publishing town of Leoben in Styria . His father Ferdinand Maximilian von Egger had already been admitted to the Carinthian state estates in 1751 .

Like his father, he began his career with a law degree in Vienna, after which he began a civil service career in Graz , where he made it to the real inner Austrian district administrator in Styrian land law in 1756 .

Life

The early years

After the death of their father in 1753, he and his brother Ignatz Joseph became the two main heirs to the father's fortune, worth around 270,000 guilders . Maximilian Thaddäus inherited his entire property in Carinthia, consisting primarily of the Treibach plant and the associated ore mines in Eisenwurzen . There were eleven pits on the Hüttenberger side, nine on the Mosinz side and two in Waitschach. His brother took over the Styrian complex, including a wheel factory in Vordernberg and several hammer mills, where he became the founder of the family line of the Freiherren von Egger.

In 1760, together with his brother Ignatz Joseph, he applied to the imperial court for a higher rank. Empress Maria Theresa elevated Maximilian Thaddäus von Egger to the baron class for his services to ironmaking and those of his ancestors on August 23, 1760, explicitly mentioning that he was already a nobleman. He was appointed baron when he first applied for a higher rank ; his brother Ignatz Joseph was only granted this six years later on May 31, 1766 because he was a minor . In 1760 he also took over the Carinthian property from his father. In the first two decades of his economic activities, he intensified trade via the Italian port cities. In Trieste he had his own warehouse built for his goods, which was also used as a small iron shop and founded his new company "Österreicher & Co." in the port city, which handled the Egger iron trade throughout the Mediterranean. He operated a lively trade in his iron products, his business partners were located in all the important European economic centers of the time, including Trieste, Venice , Rome , Bologna and Ljubljana . But there were also good business partners from Carinthia, one of the largest of these was Hammerwerk Rosenbach (Carinthia) in 1785 , which obtained iron worth over 40,000 guilders from the Egger companies. The expansion and modernization of the plant in Treibach followed.

Egger was an extraordinarily well-educated, well-traveled and hard-working man who soon became an outstanding figure among Carinthian businesspeople and who was said to be "able to shackle happiness through spirit and energy". The Egger ironworks in Treibach were at the cutting edge of technology at the time. In order to limit the consumption of coal, von Egger had the wheel and the smelter equipped with double fans. With the help of these new methods for reducing the production costs of steel production, which he financed himself, the need for coal in particular could be reduced considerably. He also passed on these new methods for more efficient steel production, which he financed and developed, to cameralistic companies. At that time, Treibach was also producing armor plates for two frigates .

Because of his merits, Maximilian Thaddäus Freiherr von Egger was raised to the status of hereditary count on September 19, 1785 . This newly achieved social status is probably the result of his considerable economic endeavors and successes and was later also reflected in the marriages of his children.

His fortune grew by around 200,000 guilders per decade, and yet von Egger also worked with borrowed capital , whose investors came from various circles and for which he paid four percent interest. In 1785 the value of the money entrusted to him was 220,000 guilders.

Starting a family

On March 31, 1761, at the age of 27, he married Gabriele Oktavia Maria Josepha Freiin von Pinelli, six years his junior, in Vienna. The imperial economist and councilor Karl Graf von Zinzendorf mentioned it in 1771, in one of his now famous notebooks, during a study trip through Carinthia. As a prudent and particularly charming woman, she had left a lasting impression on the then 32-year-old man.

It is proven that von Egger had ten children with her, but five of them died in infancy:

Maria Anna Catharina (December 14, 1761 - March 5, 1962), Johann Nepomuk Ignatz (December 1, 1762 - October 14, 1766) Ernst Ferdinand (August 30, 1765 - October 4, 1766), Maria Josepha Elisabeth (November 10, 1766) 1767 - March 31, 1769) Carl Johann Leopold (February 10, 1773 - February 12, 1773) Maria Thekla (December 20, 1763 -?) Maria Gabriela Josepha (November 6, 1766 - January 17, 1817), Maria Aloisia Antonia ( October 25, 1775 - February 22, 1864) as well as Franz Xaver Johann Chrisostomus, born on December 16, 1768 in Klagenfurt , the later founder of the Treibacher family line and his four years younger brother Ferdinand Johann Thaddäus, born on November 1, 1772, later Founder of the Feistritz line of Count Egger . Franz Xaver began his career like his late uncle Paul with a military career and served as a cadet in the Dragoon Regiment Archduke Joseph No. 2. On February 27, 1792 he was promoted to lieutenant and accepted as such in the cuirassier regiment Georg Albert No. 3 the battles of 1792 and 1793 in the Austrian Netherlands . After the division of the inheritance in 1799, he married Maria Theresa Freiin von Koller on October 8 of the same year in St. Veit, and with this marriage united the two most powerful Carinthian families in the iron industry. His younger brother Ferdinand married Maria Josepha Paula Freiin von Gailberg on January 10, 1797. Her father was Leopold Freiherr von Gailberg, her mother Josepha, née Countess Aichholt, had been a star cross since November 14, 1790 .

St. Georgen Abbey

The eldest daughter of the children who survived infancy was Maria Gabriela Josepha, born on November 6, 1766 in Klagenfurt. On August 26 , 1797, she married Karl Alexander Franz Rase, Prince of Gavre and Marquis of Aiseau, Imperial Chamberlain and Obersthofmarshall of the King of the Netherlands . The wedding took place at the new family seat of Count Egger, the Lordship of St. Georgen am Längsee . His father, Prince Franz Joseph Rase von Gavre, was also an Imperial Chamberlain and Lieutenant Field Marshal, secret councilor and knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece . Desiree, the groom's mother, had been the Order of the Star Cross since September 14, 1768. After the wedding celebrations, Maria Gabriela followed her husband to his homeland and died on January 17, 1817 in Brussels. The prince himself died fifteen years after his wife and left the castle of Monceau-sur-Sambre, which had originally been the property of the prince of Gavre, his sister-in-law Maria Aloisia Antonia Countess von Egger, as his marriage had remained childless.

Maria Aloisia Antonia, born on October 25, 1775 in Klagenfurt as the second surviving daughter, had moved to Brussels to live with her sister and brother-in-law , where she married the doctor Emanuel François Deneufbourg on April 13, 1837, who previously also worked as her family doctor had been. She died on February 22, 1864 in Monceau-sur-Sambre in Belgium .

The marriages of his children were both a reflection of the new social status of Maximilian Thaddäus Graf von Egger as well as the now enormous wealth of the family.

The way to the largest landlord in Carinthia

Griffen castle ruins

The works in Treibach threw off high profits and thus began Egger earned capital gradually many other holdings in acquiring property and basic rule of investing.

In 1775 he bought the Griffen and Weißenegg estates for 153,000 guilders, primarily to secure the charcoal supplies for his ironworks .

After the abolition of the monastery in 1783 by Emperor Joseph II , the former nunnery of St. Georgen am Längsee and the entire monastery complex belonging to it came into the religious fund . When it was finally auctioned off by the state as Herrschaft St. Georgen in 1788, von Egger took hold of it. For a purchase schilling of 163,100 guilders, he acquired the entire estate, which also included large forest holdings in which he was particularly interested. The abbey complex found its new function for three generations as the family seat of Count Egger. Maximilian Thaddäus had the buildings completely renovated and also put the economy in order.

He organized an annual harvest festival , to which not only the servants but also the poor were invited. They were entertained and then discharged with cash worth one guilder. The count was described as a man who, although he was strict about order, always treated his subjects humanely. His "pleasant manners " were highly valued everywhere and his extraordinary knowledge earned him a lot of admiration.

In 1784 von Egger bought the Wallersberg estate from the Paßbergs at auction.

On October 30, 1791, von Egger acquired the Lippitzbach near Ruden plant, including all real estate, for 45,000 guilders. The old ironworks that already existed there were closed and new roller cutting works and test ovens were built. He brought in the English specialists W. Sheffield and Th. Lightowler for sheet metal production. Through the contract with them, he secured Lippitzbach the fame of being the first rolling mill on the continent. For the time being, the rolls used for sheet metal production were obtained from Bohemia, but these were flawed, which is why they were finally produced in our own factory soon afterwards. The rolling mill, built in 1793, quickly developed into a highly active company and Lippitzbach soon became another important operating location. Sheet metal production flourished so well that von Egger renewed a contract between previous owner Florian Fein and Count Orsini von Rosenberg from 1778 to provide additional security for the supply of charcoal and bought a forest on the Kommel from Count Thurn from Bleiburg.

The Egger smelters and hammer mills were not only among the largest in Austria, they were also by far the most modern. After France declared war on April 20, 1792 and the associated outbreak of coalition wars, cannonballs were also produced for the Austrian army in Treibach.

Von Egger was not only an extraordinary businessman, he was also way ahead of his time with his extremely social thinking. After the termination of their employment, his sheet metal workers received a company pension equal to two thirds of their active salary. Workers who had to leave their employment prematurely due to an accident or illness also benefited from these social benefits, and even widows were paid a reduced pension.

Later, in 1837, the following was reported from this time in the cultural journal Carinthia :

"With your royal. Your Highness, Archduchess Maria Anna , who resided in Klagenfurt, was especially respected for his excellent scientific training in general, and especially in mineralogy, chemistry and iron manipulation, and enjoyed the grace of daily access to the chamber; there was also not an excellent great man whom the blessed did not know and who was one of his friends, which also made the realization of his plans much easier. "

Rottenstein Castle near Sankt Georgen am Längsee

Towards the end of the 18th century, von Egger had a widow's residence built for his wife Gabriele Oktavia in Rottenstein near St. Georgen am Längsee not far from the monastery complex. The Rottenstein Castle , which is still owned by the Gorton family , one of the last Egger descendants, is essentially based on this building.

Division of possessions and last years

However, the count became a widower in 1790 and retired from active business life at the age of 64 in 1798. He then divided his property between his two sons while he was still alive. It was only at this point in time, based on his will, that his enormous economic success and the true size of his wealth could be determined. In the property allocation contract, according to the letter of purchase, concluded between his two sons Franz and Ferdinand and himself on February 22, 1799, the following division was determined:

As the older son, Franz received the rule of St. Georgen am Längsee with the associated Gut Weyer, the Rainhof and all real estate, rights and justice. Furthermore, the goods listed in the landscape cadastre under the name "United Count Eggerische Gülten in Central Carinthia lordships and Gülten" . These included the Gut Rosenbichl, Gut und Gelt Hardegg , the Gut Pichelhofen with the Grabenzen Alpe in Styria, the Gut Wullroß , the Gössniggerische gilt, the Kellerbergische gilt, the Annabichlerische or Metnitzer gilt, the Gabrielhofische gilt, the Gut Thurn together with the Pöschlmeier gilt and the Treibach with all realities, rights and justice. This also included the parade company in Treibach, including the wheelworks and all associated accessories, as well as all mining rights on the Carinthian Erzberg (Hüttenberg) and the hammer mill near Obervellach. The properties handed over to Franz Graf von Egger had a total value of 497,500 guilders.

The younger son Ferdinand received the dominions Weißenegg, Griffen, Heunburg in Haimburg, Ehrenegg, Thalenstein, Trixen and the dominion St. Peter am Wallersberg with all realities, rights and justice. Furthermore, the entire factory in Lippitzbach , the family house in Klagenfurt with the number 281 and several Huben, which were valued at 4000  florins in total. The value of the property transferred to Ferdinand Graf von Egger was 415,000 guilders.

From this division of Egger's assets, two new, independent economic complexes arose, in Central and Lower Carinthia, as well as two new lines, the Treibacher line with its founder Franz Xaver Graf von Egger and the Feistritzer line with Ferdinand Johann Graf von Egger.

After his property was divided between his two sons, Maximilian Thaddäus Graf von Egger moved to the royal seat of Vienna, where he worked as a lobbyist for his sons until his death .

Although the sons had now been given ownership of the property, they had to regularly submit both balance sheets and investment plans to their father. Maximilian Thaddäus von Egger, as senior manager, was so enthusiastic about the Treibacher balance sheet from the 1803/04 financial year that he gave two executive employees of the company a golden snuffbox each . He also maintained a lively correspondence with his son Ferdinand, in which he stood by him with fatherly advice. From one of these letters, written on December 22nd, 1803 to his son Ferdinand, his most famous quote comes from:

“Be entirely an inventor and manufacturer; that is the first and noblest class of people. "

- Maximilian Thaddäus Graf von Egger

From a letter of January 5, 1804: “I implore you to pursue the matter with all your body and soul, so that you will decide how to use this gift of God for your own benefit and that of your descendants Can acquire honor and reputation. "

On November 22nd, 1804: “I strongly recommend the forest stand to you; and also to take care to create new forests, because Lippitzbach, which you have to strive to enlarge every year, will need fuel where the current ones will not suffice without new plantings; every delay is an irreplaceable loss. "

Maximilian Thaddäus Graf von Egger died on May 15, 1805 in Vienna at the age of 72. In the same year, on December 30, 1805, his son Ferdinand died, neither of them lived to see the first Austrian tinplate factory being built in Lippitzbach in 1807.

An obituary says: “Herr Max Thaddä Graf von Egger died in Vienna on May 15, 1805; he began his philanthropic day's work with caution, continued it with difficulty, and finished it with honor; - may Carinthia, which is ungrateful to no one, keep him in well-deserved memory! "

Web links

• Entry on Egger, Max Thaddäus Graf von in the Austria Forum  (in the AEIOU Austria Lexicon )

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Yearbook of the State Museum of Carinthia, genealogical information on the trade family of Count Egger p. 236
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Anton Kreuzer: Carinthian portraits 100 life pictures from twelve centuries . Carinthia Verlag, Klagenfurt 1993, ISBN 3-85378-407-0 , p. 86
3. ^ Yearbook of the State Museum of Carinthia, genealogical information on the trade family of Count Egger p. 242
4. ^ Abbey of St. Georgen am Längsee: history
5. ↑ http://www.kanghu.at/schlosswirt/geschichte.htm  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
6. ↑ http://www.lippitzbach.at/?page_id=127
7. ↑ Entry about Rottenstein (St. Georgen / Längsee) on Burgen-Austria
8. ^ Yearbook of the State Museum of Carinthia, genealogical information on the trade family of Count Egger, p. 237
9. ^ Carinthia, Carinthian portraits 100 life pictures from twelve centuries, p. 87 ISBN 3-85378-407-0
10. ↑ Ibid.
11. ↑ Ibid.