Susi Weigel

Susi Weigel (born January 29, 1914 in Proßnitz , Moravia , † December 21, 1990 in Bludenz ) was an Austrian illustrator of children's books , graphic artist and animator . The children's books that were created together with Mira Lobe , such as “ Das kleine Ich-bin-ich ” (1972), are particularly well known .

life and work

Susi Weigel studied at the Vienna University of Applied Arts with Franz Cizek , Albert Paris Gütersloh , Josef Hoffmann , Rudolf von Larisch , Wilhelm Müller-Hofmann and Viktor Schufinsky , as well as at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts . After completing her studies, she worked as an illustrator for newspapers and magazines and as an animator in Vienna and Berlin. In October 1937 she married her former fellow student, the architect Bruno Buzek . In 1935, together with Franz von Zülow, they designed the interior of the “Café Industrie” (later “ Café Koralle ”), which belonged to Susi Weigel's parents, and the premises of the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank . During the Second World War Susi Weigel lived under the name Suse Weigel as a freelance graphic artist and animator in Berlin- Charlottenburg , where she designed, among other things, film posters. After the end of the war she returned to Vienna and worked for the children's magazine “ Unser Zeitung ”. Here she met the children's book author Mira Lobe , with whom she then worked for decades. After the divorce from Bruno Buzek, Susi Weigel remarried in autumn 1952 and moved to live with her husband in Langen am Arlberg and later in Bludenz. From then on she mainly illustrated books by Mira Lobes, many of which have received national and international prizes. The children's book classics “ Das kleine Ich-bin-ich ”, “The Grandma in the Apple Tree”, “Bärli Hupf” and “The Little Town Around” were created together. Individual book ideas came from her.

Susi Weigel kindergarten in Bludenz

The books designed by Susi Weigel were published in large numbers around the world even after her death, but she herself was forgotten until the literary scholar Andreas Weigel committed himself to exhibitions and street naming in Bludenz, Vorarlberg and Vienna on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of her death Weigel's neglected life and work pointed out. Subsequently, the Viennese literary scholar Susanne Blumesberger worked on Susi Weigel's estate and biography in a research project funded by the state of Vorarlberg . The animated film "Peterle's Adventure" (1941) drawn by Susi Weigel was rediscovered as part of a German studies dissertation and was shown in 2008 by the "Austrian Society for Children's and Young Adult Literature Research" at the " Filmarchiv Austria ". In the spring of 2010, the Hittisau Women's Museum organized an exhibition on the life and work of Susi Weigel, which “shaped the imagination of several generations of children”. This first public work exhibition significantly increased the illustrator's popularity in Vorarlberg. In 2011 an exhibition of her works followed in Bludenz. The city of Bludenz subsequently announced that it would name a childcare center after Susi Weigel, which was achieved with the “Susi Weigel Kindergarten”, which was completed in early August 2013. In the winter of 2014/15, the Wien Museum presented the exhibition “I am I - Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel”, which was shown slightly differently in the winter of 2015/16 in the vorarlberg museum . In 2018, the vorarlberg museum received Susi Weigel's estate consisting of around 1,700 objects as a gift.

Familiar

Susi Weigel was sister-in-law of the harpsichordist Julia Menz (1901–1944), the “ Mary Wigman ” employee (percussionist, expressive dancer, teacher) Meta Weigel (1906–1990) and her first marriage to the architect Bruno Buzek (1911–1973) . Susi Weigel's sister Martha Weigel (1903–1986) studied singing with the Viennese singing teacher Fritzi Lahr-Goldschmid in the 1920s and in 1929 performed together with the pianist Karl Lahr in the Schubert Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus .

Honorable names of streets and buildings

"Susi-Weigel-Kindergarten" in Bludenz (2013)
"Susi-Weigel-Weg" in Vienna (2019)

Awards

as an illustrator

"Illustration Prize of the City of Vienna" 1961 for "Hannes and his Bumpam".
"Illustration Prize of the City of Vienna" 1970 for "The Little Town Around".
Professional title Professor (1986).

excellent works

“Titi im Urwald” (1958): Austrian children's and youth book award.
"Hannes und seine Bumpam" (1964): "Diploma of Merit" [= award as "particularly recommendable"] (by the jury of the Hans Christian Andersen Prize ).
“The Grandma in the Apple Tree” (1965): Austrian children's and youth book award.
“Das Städtchen Drumherum” (1971): Austrian children's and youth book award, as well as sponsorship award from the “Federal Ministry for Education and Art”.
“Das kleine Ich bin ich” (1972): Austrian Children's and Young Adult Book Prize.
“It's very different from what you think” (1977): Austrian Children's and Young People's Book Prize.

Exhibitions

Susi Weigel. I am me - the illustrator and animator Susi Weigel (1914–1990). Hittisau Women's Museum (2010).
Susi Weigel. Graphic designer. Animator. Illustrator. Gallery of all kinds in the Remise Bludenz (2011).
"I am me - Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel". Wien Museum (2014/15).
"I am me - Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel". vorarlberg museum (2015/16).

Works

Book illustration

with Mira Lobe

The zoo is running away. Vienna: Schönbrunn Verlag 1953.
The bear association. Vienna: Schönbrunn Verlag 1954.
Hänschen Klein. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1954.
I ask you what doctor. A funny story from the fever devils and the health police. Vienna: Youth and People 1955.
Flitz, the red lightning bolt. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1956.
Bärli Hupf. Vienna: Schönbrunn Verlag 1957.
Titi in the jungle. Vienna: Youth and People 1957.
I wish for a brother. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1958.
Me and you in town and country. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1959.
Where to go with Susu. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1960.
Hannes and his Bumpan. Vienna: Youth and People 1961.
The 5th duckling. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1961.
Taps. Berlin: The children's book publisher 1962.
King Tunix. Vienna: Herold 1962.
The big race in the Murmelbach. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1963.
Bimbulli. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1964.
The grandma in the apple tree. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1965.
Let me tell you three stories. Vienna: Youth and People 1965.
The big reindeer. Vienna: Youth and People 1966.
Pepi and Pipa. Vienna: Youth and People 1966.
Eli elephant. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1967.
Bärli hops on. Vienna: Schönbrunn Verlag 1968.
The blue kangaroo. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1968.
The little dragon Fridolin. Vienna: Youth and People 1969.
Maxi doesn't want to go to sleep. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1969
The little town around. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1970.
Memorial Blümlein. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1971.
I am the little me . Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1972.
No star thaler for Monika. Vienna: Youth and People 1973
Willi Millimandl and the giant Bumban. Vienna: Youth and People 1973
The magic room. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1974.
Ingo and Drago. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1975.
The magic mesh. Vienna: Betz 1975.
The castle ghost. Hamburg: Arena 1976.
It's very different from what you think. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1976.
The mouse wants to get out. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1977.
I'm going to school tomorrow. Vienna: Youth and People 1979.
The dachshund is right. Vienna: Youth and People 1983.
The Geggis. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1985.
Lollo. Vienna: Herder 1986.
Pitt doesn't want to be Pitt anymore. Mödling: St. Gabriel 1989.
A beak full of oops. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1990.
Michi flies around the world. St. Gabriel 1990.

with other authors

Anni Geiger-Hof : Fiete, Paul & Co. Stuttgart: Gundert 1955.
Friedl Hofbauer : The keychain bundle. Vienna: Youth and People 1962.
Alan Alexander Milne : Prince Rabbit and the princess who couldn't laugh. Vienna: Ueberreuter 1966.
Helene Weilen: Amalia with the long neck. Vienna: Breitschopf 1967.
Kurt Wölfflin : The giant at school. Stories and poems. Vienna: Ueberreuter 1969.
Greta Hartl: Babettchen and Mr. Babylon. Leitner & Co Wels 1970.
Ernst Höller: Our fire department. Vienna: ÖBV 1973.
Kurt Wölfflin: The big and the small. Vienna: Ueberreuter 1974.
Georg Bydlinski : The children's nest. Stories, poems, games and songs for family and kindergarten. Vienna: Herder 1979.
Friederike Lanzelsdorfer: Our reading house 1. u. Part 2. Vienna: Youth and People 1981.
Ernst A. Ekker : Lilli long neck. Vienna: Breitschopf 1983.
Friedl Hofbauer: Mini Theater. Vienna: Herder 1983.
Susi Jahoda: My green Violetta. Mödling: St. Gabriel 1984.
Christine Rettl: With us in Marabuland. Vienna: Fountain of Youth 1991.

Cartoons

"Carmen" (1935) (together with Wilhelm Spira (alias Bil Spira) and Richard Erdoes )
"Peterle's Adventure" (Four parts: The two runaways. Peterle in the circus. The little hunter. A good catch) (1941) (together with Johann Weichberger)

Interior design

" Café Koralle " (together with Bruno Buzek)
"Koralle Bar" of the "Café Koralle" (together with Bruno Buzek)

Murals

Wall painting in the playroom of Café Koralle (1935)
Dining room of the Schoellerbank , Vienna (1952)
Dining room of the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank , Vienna (1954)
"History of the Klostertal", Klösterle elementary school (1959)
Designs for a mural for the Villa Roth

Drawings, company stamps

Pictures from Susi Weigel's estate (online)
Stamp for the hotel and terrace café Blauensteiner in Gars am Kamp (around 1973)

literature

Susi Weigel's honorary grave in Bludenz

Reference book article

Short biography. In: Christian Dewald: The art of the single image. Animation in Austria. 1832 until today (2010). P. 95 f.
Short biography in German and English. In: International Institute for Youth Literature and Reading Research (Ed.): Lexicon of Austrian Children's and Youth Literature. Volume 2: Illustrators. Vienna 1994. p. 106.
One-line short biography. In: Heinrich Fuchs: The Austrian painters of the 20th century. Volume IV (1986). P. 235.
Short biography. In: Bettina Hürlimann: Picture-book world: Modern picture-books for children from twenty-four countries with a bio-bibliographical supplement by Elisabeth Waldmann (1969). P. 213.

research paper

Susanne Blumesberger: Processing of the estate and the biography of the graphic designer and illustrator Susi Weigel . Vienna, January 2008. Online: Part 1 and Part 2. Pictures from Susi Weigel's estate

Exhibition catalog

Wien Museum : I am me. Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel (2014). ISBN 978-3-7017-3356-9 .

Book contributions

Susi Weigel (1914–1990). In: Georg Huemer: Mira Lobe. Doyenne of Austrian children's and youth literature. Pp. 124-133. Vienna: Praesens Verlag 2015. ISBN 978-3-7069-0808-5
Short biography. In: Rolf Giesen and JP Storm: Animation under the Swastika. A History of Trickfilm in the NAZI-Germany, 1933–1945 (2012). P. 172.
Peterle's adventure. In: Rolf Giesen and JP Storm: Animation under the Swastika. A History of Trickfilm in the NAZI-Germany, 1933–1945 (2012). In: p. 198.
Susanne Blumesberger: In the footsteps of Susi Weigel. In: Libri liberorum . Volume 8. Issue 27 (November 2007). Vienna: Praesens Verlag 2007. pp. 38–42.
Heide Lexe and Ernst Seibert (eds.): Mira Lobe… in all children's world. Children's and youth literature research in Austria. Publications of the Austrian Society for Children's and Youth Literature Research, Volume 7. Verlag Edition Praesens, 2005.
Hans Gärtner: Susi Weigel. Obituary . In: Hans Gärtner: Better to read . 8. Almanac of children's and youth literature to the year 1990. p. 36. On the same page, the almanac also contains the facsimile of a handwritten letter that Susi Weigel wrote to Hans Gärtner on November 25, 1990.
Susi Weigel: Drawn Self-Portrait . In: Hans Gärtner : Better to read . 7. Almanac of children's and youth literature for 1989. p. 197.

Newspaper articles

Birgit Köhlmeier: 235,000 children's books . In: Kronen Zeitung of September 2, 1990, p. 21.
Prophet in his own country . In: Vorarlberger Nachrichten of December 3, 1987.
Professor Susanne Mair-Weigel . In: Vorarlberger Nachrichten of July 7, 1986.
Portrait of the month. Susi Weigel tells us about her life. In: Wide world. Magazine for boys and girls. Issue March 7, 1984. p. 17.

Web links

Literature by and about Susi Weigel in the catalog of the German National Library
Peter Lukasch: Susi Weigel and children's and youth literature between 1900 and 1960 .
Susanne Emerich and Klaus Gasperi: But I certainly exist! Vorarlberger KirchenBlatt No. 32/33 of 15./22. August 2010.
Women's Museum Hittisau : Susi Weigel. I am me . Animator and illustrator. Exhibition May 13, 2010 - January 16, 2011.
ORF : The little I-am-me to Geggis . First retrospective for Susi Weigel.
Vorarlberg State Library : Susi Weigel (1914–1990) - the forgotten artist from Vorarlberg . March 2011, Vorarlbergensien.
The standard : 100 years in the service of children's laughter. January 13, 2014.
Alina Gierke's review of "Das kleine Ich-bin-ich".
Wien Museum : Exhibition folder I am I. Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel. (October 2014).
Austria Journal: I am I - Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel (October 2014).
ORF : Vorarlberg museum receives Susi Weigel estate.
A new work by the architect Bruno Buzek. Cafe industry. In: Austrian Art. Issue 1. 1936. p. 28 (Susi Weigel's mural in her family's coffee house).

Individual evidence

↑ For example, Wilhelm Spira (alias Bil Spira) mentioned in 1935 in a letter written together with Susi Weigel to Wilhelm Müller-Hofmann, their professor at the Vienna School of Applied Arts , the collaboration on a cartoon that, according to Spira's autobiography, “The Legend of the Illustrator” as Opera parody on " Carmen " was intended. Source: Wilhelm Spira and Susi Weigel: Letter of April 16, 1935 to Wilhelm Müller-Hofmann (Archive of the Vienna School of Applied Arts ) and Wilhelm Spira: “The legend of the draftsman”. P. 28 ff.
↑ A new work by the architect Bruno Buzek. Cafe industry. In: Austrian Art. Issue 1. 1936. p. 28.
^ The café "Industry in a new guise. In: Neue Freie Presse. October 6, 1935. p. 11.
↑ Iris Meder: Open Worlds (PDF; 2.5 MB). The Viennese school in single-family house construction 1910–1938. Meder's dissertation contains Bruno Buzek's “Biography” and his “Architectural Catalog raisonné” on p. 611.
↑ In a newspaper interview, she told how the book idea for “Das kleine Ich-bin-Ich” came about: “'We had a dear nanny who I really liked,' recalls the artist. In old age this woman was a little confused and kept asking, 'Who am I - I am I?' Susi Weigel never let go of this experience. 'I suddenly realized that children feel the same way, they are looking for their own identity'. "Source: Birgit Köhlmeier: 235,000 children's books. In: Kronenzeitung from September 2, 1990. P. 21, as well as Susanne Blumesberger: Processing of the estate and the biography of the graphic artist and illustrator Susi Weigel . Vienna, January 2008. Online: Part 1 . P. 13 f.
^ Among other things, by creating this Wikipedia article, which since January 2007 has served as the basis and starting point for numerous media reports due to the lack of other available sources.
↑ Susanne Blumesberger: In the footsteps of Susi Weigels. In: Libri liberorum . Volume 8. Issue 27 (November 2007). Vienna: Praesens 2007. pp. 38–42. P. 38.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Susanne Blumesberger: Processing of the estate and the biography of the graphic artist and illustrator Susi Weigel . Vienna, January 2008. Online: Part 1 and Part 2. Pictures from Susi Weigel's estate .
↑ Anja Baldauf: Susi Weigel. I am me . ( 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. Summer exhibition in the Hittisau Women's Museum .@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.hittisau.at

^ Opening of the exhibition: Susi Weigel - graphic artist. Animator. Illustrator .

↑ Wien Museum : " I am I - Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel" ( Memento of the original from October 21, 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@ 2
^ Vorarlberg Museum: Special exhibition. I'm me. Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel. November 28 to spring 2016. ( Memento of the original from February 25, 2015 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. @1@ 2
↑ orf.at: Vorarlberg museum receives Susi Weigel's estate . Article dated December 10, 2018, accessed December 10, 2018.
^ Concert evening with Hans Toifl (piano), Martha Weigel (vocals) and Karl Lahr (piano). April 16, 1929, 7:30 p.m., Schubert Hall.
↑ District Representation of the 12th District of Vienna: Minutes of the meeting of the District Representation of the 12th District on December 14, 2018. PDF file.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Federal Ministry for Education, Art and Culture : Annual lists of those honored with the Austrian Children's and Young People's Book Prize.
↑ Photographs of the interior of Café Industrie, which later became Café Koralle. A new work by the architect Bruno Buzek. Cafe industry. In: Austrian Art. Issue 1. 1936. p. 28.

personal data
SURNAME	Weigel, Susi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Weigel-Mayr, Susi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Austrian graphic artist for children's books
DATE OF BIRTH	January 29, 1914
PLACE OF BIRTH	Prostějov
DATE OF DEATH	December 21, 1990
Place of death	Bludenz

[1] For example, Wilhelm Spira (alias Bil Spira) mentioned in 1935 in a letter written together with Susi Weigel to Wilhelm Müller-Hofmann, their professor at the Vienna School of Applied Arts , the collaboration on a cartoon that, according to Spira's autobiography, “The Legend of the Illustrator” as Opera parody on " Carmen " was intended. Source: Wilhelm Spira and Susi Weigel: Letter of April 16, 1935 to Wilhelm Müller-Hofmann (Archive of the Vienna School of Applied Arts ) and Wilhelm Spira: “The legend of the draftsman”. P. 28 ff.

[2] A new work by the architect Bruno Buzek. Cafe industry. In: Austrian Art. Issue 1. 1936. p. 28.

[3] The café "Industry in a new guise. In: Neue Freie Presse. October 6, 1935. p. 11.

[Meder-4] Iris Meder: Open Worlds (PDF; 2.5 MB). The Viennese school in single-family house construction 1910–1938. Meder's dissertation contains Bruno Buzek's “Biography” and his “Architectural Catalog raisonné” on p. 611.

[5] In a newspaper interview, she told how the book idea for “Das kleine Ich-bin-Ich” came about: “'We had a dear nanny who I really liked,' recalls the artist. In old age this woman was a little confused and kept asking, 'Who am I - I am I?' Susi Weigel never let go of this experience. 'I suddenly realized that children feel the same way, they are looking for their own identity'. "Source: Birgit Köhlmeier: 235,000 children's books. In: Kronenzeitung from September 2, 1990. P. 21, as well as Susanne Blumesberger: Processing of the estate and the biography of the graphic artist and illustrator Susi Weigel . Vienna, January 2008. Online: Part 1 . P. 13 f.

[6] Among other things, by creating this Wikipedia article, which since January 2007 has served as the basis and starting point for numerous media reports due to the lack of other available sources.

[7] Susanne Blumesberger: In the footsteps of Susi Weigels. In: Libri liberorum . Volume 8. Issue 27 (November 2007). Vienna: Praesens 2007. pp. 38–42. P. 38.

[Blumesberger-8] Susanne Blumesberger: Processing of the estate and the biography of the graphic artist and illustrator Susi Weigel . Vienna, January 2008. Online: Part 1 and Part 2. Pictures from Susi Weigel's estate .

[9] Anja Baldauf: Susi Weigel. I am me . ( 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. Summer exhibition in the Hittisau Women's Museum .@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.hittisau.at

[10] Opening of the exhibition: Susi Weigel - graphic artist. Animator. Illustrator .

[11] Wien Museum : " I am I - Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel" ( Memento of the original from October 21, 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@ 2

[12] Vorarlberg Museum: Special exhibition. I'm me. Mira Lobe and Susi Weigel. November 28 to spring 2016. ( Memento of the original from February 25, 2015 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. @1@ 2

[13] orf.at: Vorarlberg museum receives Susi Weigel's estate . Article dated December 10, 2018, accessed December 10, 2018.

[14] Concert evening with Hans Toifl (piano), Martha Weigel (vocals) and Karl Lahr (piano). April 16, 1929, 7:30 p.m., Schubert Hall.

[15] District Representation of the 12th District of Vienna: Minutes of the meeting of the District Representation of the 12th District on December 14, 2018. PDF file.

[BMUK-16] Federal Ministry for Education, Art and Culture : Annual lists of those honored with the Austrian Children's and Young People's Book Prize.

[17] Photographs of the interior of Café Industrie, which later became Café Koralle. A new work by the architect Bruno Buzek. Cafe industry. In: Austrian Art. Issue 1. 1936. p. 28.