Wenzel Seidl

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Wenzel Seidl's honorary grave at the Vienna Central Cemetery (Group 64, Row 17, No. 16)

Wenzel Seidl (born January 14, 1842 in Gumpendorf , † March 6, 1921 in Vienna ) was an Austrian folk singer and comedian .

Life

Wenzel Seidl was born on January 14, 1842 in the then still independent community of Gumpendorf, just outside Vienna, as the son of a button turner. His father was the teacher of the later folk singer, actor and theater director Johann Fürst and after he could no longer support his family from his work as a button turner, he was employed by Fürst as a box locker. Wenzel Seidl appeared in children's comedies at the Theater an der Wien under director Franz Pokorny at an early age and, at an advanced age, completed an apprenticeship as a waiter in the then historic Hotel Zum Weißen Rössel on Taborstrasse 2 , where he met Josef Matras . After that he worked as a waiter until 1863, before he was discovered by the folk singer Karl Drexler, who subsequently guided him to the restaurant Zum green Tor , where he let him perform in his company.

During his time as a waiter he was already very popular as a singer, made his successful debut in 1863 in the Gasthaus Zum green Tor and appeared in the societies of the folk singers Antonie Mansfeld and Fanni Hornischer , and from 1870 in the company of Anton Amon . At the same time he sang solo numbers at the beginning, but later also as a member of the ensemble in his folk singing society together with Amon as extremely popular duets. In 1868 he founded his own company with Josef “Pepi” Steidler and Franz Xaver Kriebaum , but it was only short-lived. His life lasting nickname of red Seidl he received during this time, by a allusive to his hair color couplet with the chorus , "Because I'm the red Seidl".

In 1879 he founded the “Gesellschaft Seidl und Wiesberg” together with Wilhelm Wiesberg, who worked as a “house poet” for Amon . Of the Viennese “duetist couples”, of which there were a few at the time, such as “ Nagel and Amon” or “ Edi and Biedermann ”, “Seidl and Wiesberg” with their subtle and Viennese cozy but not sentimental songs and couplets were considered as the most successful and highest quality group. The works written by Wiesberg and set to music by Johann Sioly (e.g. Das hat ka Goethe g'schrieb'n , I am a echter Weana or Die Deutschmeister san do ) were already among the best of their genre back then and were valid until the 20th century. Century as popular. Above all, the Es-damdam-G'stanz'ln performed with texts by Josef Philippi , some of which were also set to music by Johann Sioly or Karl Kratzl , commented on the events of the day with ever new stanzas.

The success of the two duo partners went beyond the national borders, whereupon tours through Germany and abroad followed and the two appeared at evening parties in aristocratic and financial circles. In addition to Sioly, Edmund Guschelbauer , known as Alter Drahrer , the beautiful Edi or the blade Edi, was part of the company for a while . After retiring from Wiesberg, who died only a few years later, in 1890, Seidl continued to run the company on his own and sang with the nature singer Max Jauner until 1893 and with Anton Schäfer from 1893 to 1906 . At that time, his company included Johann Sioly, Lina Berg , Anton Gruber , Anton Schäfer and Julius Schwab , as well as his nephew Karl Baudisch as a so-called local picker .

Seidl owned a villa in Hietzing and only moved into his own house in Vienna's Prater after his father's death . As a house poet he employed Edmund Skurawy , a writer and journalist who also appeared as a folk singer himself. In 1903 he received tax-free citizenship in Vienna . Wenzel Seidl died on March 6, 1921, about four months after his wife Anna died at the age of 74, at the age of 79 in his house in the Prater. He was buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery in an honorary grave (group 64, row 17, no. 16), which is in the care of the municipality of Vienna.

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personal data
SURNAME Seidl, Wenzel
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian folk singer and comedian
DATE OF BIRTH January 14, 1842
PLACE OF BIRTH Gumpendorf , Austrian Empire
DATE OF DEATH March 6, 1921
Place of death Vienna , Austria