Steinway Hall, NYC

Visited Steinway Hall today. One of Manhattan's hidden gems. My personal connection; my grandfather, Josef Josephu, had his first US showing of his sculptures here in February of 1940 - only 5 months after arriving from Vienna. The NY Times review called him a modern-day Rodin. The staff were friendly and accommodating allowing my to go behind the 'velvet rope' and take many photos for the biography.

 

http://www.steinwayshowrooms.com/steinway-hall

 

Thanks to friend Herbert Fischer, the above photo (circa World War I) was spotted in a November 2012 newsletter of "Penzinger Museumblatter". The statue behind these people is one by my grandfather, Josef. It stood in front of a veteran's hospital, or Kriegsspital, in A-1140 Vienna in the area of 'Linzer Strasse - Deutschordenstrasse-Cossman Gasse - Casino Park.' The hospital no longer exists and the whereabouts of the statue are unknown. During my visit, George and I spent much time trying to locate the spot - and thanks to this newsletter we know where it 'was'.....but, sadly, not where it 'is'.

Thanks to Dr. Wolfgang Regal and Dr. Guenther Haberhauer for their correspondence, and to Karl Kratky of the Bezirksmuseum Penzing for send a copy of the photo.

Slow, but progressing

I just received a welcome email from Vienna, from someone who has one of my grandfather's statues. It's always nice to hear from people who appreciate his work - especially if it's a statue I wasn't aware of.

I plan on finding some spare time the winter to return to the research and to writing the biography. I admit, I often find myself dreaming of Vienna...of my wonderful trip there...and to visiting again. It's hard to describe how I feel "at home" when there.

Don't forget, if you use Facebook, and can follow the Josephu page by CLICKING HERE

More Research... More finds ...

While continuing my research on my grandfather, Joseph, and his brother, Florian, not only have I come across more photos and references to more works of theirs, I've come across a posted film from 1945 entitled "Die KPO in Bildern".....5:40 secs into the film there are people working and celebrating around one of Josef's statues called ZUFLUCHT, which still stands today.

I am now reaching out to the City of Vienna to see how I may obtain a copy of the print, or of the relevant section. View it yourself at:  http://www.stadtfilm-wien.at/film/122/   (5:40 secs in)

Back to research

I'm back to continuing my research - trying to get past a few 'mysteries'. Thanks to some photos in an old family scrapbook brought to the reunion in Vienna last June...and thanks to the research mastery of Herbert Fischer ... we have made some progress on the Drouot branch of the family. I plan on upgrading my genealogy website which should allow me to compare to others doing similar research. Perhaps the Drouot and Josephu family lines are already out there.

Victor Drouot was made a Knight for "his services to the k.k. Purveyors." Victor had a brother Josef, and  Josef had a son, Hans Drouot. We've identified Victor and Hans in photos, and there's one photo identified as "Mali" (geb. Drouot) dated 1911. The family had pet names for everyone, some are easily understood....but others not. For example, my grandfather Josef was known as 'Pepo'. We don't know who Mali is. There's no identified female family member born 'Drouot' identified. Perhaps she is Hans Drouot's wife, Amalie...but she was not 'geb Drouot (born)...perhaps it was a daughter of Hans. There's a photo of Victor standing with a very young boy simply labeled father and son. We have not identified who the son is. My grandfather's grandmother was Mathilda Drouot and, based on the timeline, was the sister to Victor and Josef. Victor's full name, after knighthood, is Victor Ritter von Drouot, and research does indicate he was from a French immigrant family. Could this possibly be the first link to the family story...that we're related a famous French General.

It's very difficult doing the research and connecting the dots. Herbert has been a huge help. I am requesting copies of birth or death certificates where I can, but without specific locations and dates it's truly searching for a needle in the proverbial hay stack.
More soon...