Viktor Kraft

The title of this article is ambiguous. For the Austrian science theorist, philosopher and librarian with a similar name, see Victor Kraft .

Viktor Kraft (born October 25, 1912 in Hausbrunn , Lower Austria ; † January 16, 1998 in Vienna ) was an Austrian architect, painter and writer. His work as an architect is documented not only in Austria, but also in other countries. Numerous pictures, mainly watercolors, testify to his work as a painter. Poems, landscape and travel descriptions and essays on contemporary history have been preserved from Viktor Kraft's writings.

Live and act

Viktor Kraft's parents, Rudolf Kraft (* 1877) and Maria (nee Hubinger, * 1882) live in Tyrol, where Rudolf Kraft works in the higher customs guard service. His wife Maria comes from Hausbrunn. As a child, Viktor Kraft came to live with his aunt, Magdalena Hubinger, in Mistelbach. Viktor Kraft attends the community school there. He then graduated from the Salvatorian College in Graz (1927–1932) and finished this school with the Matura . Then he studies with the Salvatorians "Am Hamberg" (Upper Austria), but leaves the order before graduation. From 1934 to 1938 Viktor Kraft graduated from the Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt. Used as a fighter pilot during the Second World War, he was shot down over England and taken prisoner by the Anglo-Canadian population. In Canada he had contact with artistic circles and began studying architecture. In 1944 Viktor Kraft married Charlotte (née Hübner) at Mirabell Palace in Salzburg. After returning from captivity and starting a family (birth of two sons Alexander Kraft, born in 1948, and Rainer Maria Kraft, born in 1955), Viktor Kraft continued studying architecture at the Technical University in Vienna . In 1949 he graduated as a graduate engineer and in 1951 received a doctorate in technology with the dissertation “Design Thoughts for Hospital Construction”.

The architect

Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Viktor Kraft becomes a sought-after architect: Viktor Kraft's architectural works are documented not only in Lower Austria, but also in numerous other countries (Germany, Italy, Nigeria and others). In addition to residential construction, the thematic focuses are also sacred buildings, schools, sports facilities, industrial and commercial buildings and exhibition architecture. Viktor Kraft is also a sought-after restorer and interior designer.

Extract from the architectural work list (complete directory in: GAMON & GAMON: Viktor Kraft. Exhibition catalog, 2012 - see below):

Austria

• Breitenstein (Lower Austria): Breitenstein branch church
• Gaweinstal (Lower Austria): secondary school
• Göllersdorf (Lower Austria): secondary school
• Graz (Styria): Salvatorian College with a chapel
• Mistelbach (Lower Austria): fire station
• Mistelbach (Lower Austria): Cosmos settlement
• Mistelbach (Lower Austria): Sports hall
• Mistelbach (Lower Austria): elementary school
• Mistelbach (Lower Austria): Weinlandbad
• Salzburg (Sbg): Accident hospital (planning)
• Seibersdorf (Lower Austria): Castle (restoration)
• Wartmannstetten (Lower Austria): Marien-Dankes-Kirche Wartmannstetten
• Vienna 6: residential building Mollardgasse 53–55
• Vienna 9: Mariannengasse Pension Insurance Institution
• Vienna 10: Church of the 12 Apostles (extension)
• Vienna 21: Bundesrealgymnasium Franklinstrasse (restoration), gym

outside of Austria

• Kabul (Afghanistan): factory complex
• Kabul (Afghanistan): hospital
• Lagos (Nigeria): office building
• Lagos (Nigeria): mosque
• Maiguduri (Nigeria): mosque
• Siena (Italy): Exhibition pavilion
• Tripoli (Libya): Exhibition pavilion
• Tunis (Tunisia): Exhibition pavilion
• Verona (Italy): Exhibition pavilion (1964, 1965, 1966)

The painter

Viktor Kraft is a passionate watercolor painter. He faces his admirers and critics in numerous exhibitions - also internationally. One of his favorite places to stay is the Geras Abbey , where he feels comfortable among like-minded artists.

The writer

We have received poems, landscape and travel descriptions, articles on contemporary history and specialist articles from Viktor Kraft's writings.

Works

• Aquarelle Wien, self-published, 1992.
• Building description (of the new elementary school) In: Local history supplement to the communications of the town of Mistelbach: Mistelbach in past and present, Volume II, 1979, pp. 87-90.
• Book review. Handbook for the new hospital building (Ed. Paul Vogler). In: The structure. Monthly for Reconstruction. Stadtbauamt Wien, Vienna, 1955, 10th year, No. 5, p. 198.
• The state vocational school boarding school in Mistelbach. Building history and building description In: STADTGEMEINDE MISTELBACH (Hrsg.): Mistelbach in the past and present. Volume 1: 1954 to 1969. pp. 288 and 290 f.
• Design ideas for the hospital building 1951. Dissertation. Technical University, 1951.
• Thoughts on the new building of the General Hospital in Vienna In: The structure. Monthly for Reconstruction. Stadtbauamt Wien, Vienna, 1955, 10th year, no. 5, pp. 176–178.
• Thoughts on the new building of the general hospital p. 554 ff. In: LETTMAYER, Ferdinand: Wien um die XX. Century. Verlag für Jugend und Volk, 1958. S. 554 ff.
• Church Breitenstein In: Architektur aktuell. Specialist journal. Issue 71/1979. P. 41.
• Hospital construction through the centuries In: The structure. Monthly for Reconstruction. Stadtbauamt Wien, Vienna, 1955, 10th year, no. 5, pp. 165–175.
• Mistelbach in the twenties In: STADTGEMEINDE MISTELBACH (Hrsg.): Mistelbach in the past and present. Volume II. 1977, pp. 281-292.
• Mistelbach sports hall In: Architektur aktuell. Specialist journal. Issue 71/1979. P. 25.

Secondary literature

• GAMON, Detlev and Irene GAMON: Viktor Kraft. Catalog for the exhibitions in Hausbrunn and Mistelbach on the occasion of the 100th birthday. Hüttendorf, self-published, 2012. ISBN 978-3-9503371-9-8 .
• GAMON, Detlev and Irene GAMON: Viktor Kraft reads dialect poems. DVD and text booklet. Hüttendorf, self-published, 2012.
• MEIJL, van, Peter: Tell me the story of Father Titus Helde SDS. Vienna, The Best Kunstverlag, 2011.
• WEIDLICH, Alfred, Johann LEITHNER, Georg GÖSTL, Oskar STEINER and Johann KUMMER: Mistelbach Chronicle from 1914 to 1988. In: STADTGEMEINDE MISTELBACH (Hrsg.): Mistelbach in the past and present. Local history supplement to the communiqué of Mistelbach. Volume 4. pp. 1–121. Mistelbach, 1989.