The Brothers Josephu

The Brothers Josephu
Young Josef at work...circa 1917

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Gustav Mahler

In my ongoing research into my grandfather, Josef Josephu, the Viennese sculptor, I am building my family tree. The main source has been both the help of friend Herbert Fischer or Vienna, and the web site MyHeritage.com. The more detailed my entries the more that web site finds connections to other family trees, which helps to add "branches" to my family tree.

Among the family are many artists and musicians, such as the violinist Florian Zajic. Recently we have confirmed a distant relation to famed composer/conductor Gustav Mahler, who was my grandmother's aunt's cousin. I can't help wondering of Josef ever met Gustav since they were both in Vienna around the same time.
 
 
 
 

Sunday, July 19, 2015

A Family Tree Grows

My,  hoe simply adding a middle name or birth/death date can cause a family tree to grow. Assuming the connections made on MyHeritage.com are correct, the Josephu family tree now has 328 people in 120 families. Some luminaries include renowned violinist Florian Zajic, legendary sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, and actor Otto Waldis. There's a small thread of a chance that there's a connection to Gustav Mahler.

We know some of the well know friends of my grandfather include composer Emerich Kalman, Walter Slezak and Jose Ferrer.

Update 1-10-16: Another illustrious addition to the family tree was revealed - the Oscar winning film director Milos Forman.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

A family Forest

Thanks to the genealogical prowess of friend Herbert Fischer, and the power of an internet family tree site, my family tree has grown into a forest with over 277 people and 103 connect families. And in addition to the close family, there are many out there who share some DNA throughout Europe and even in Israel.
 
Among them are renown violinist, a Mayor knighted by the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph, and of course my grandfather, Josef, and his brother, Florian, respect sculptors. 
 
One name in three is fairly common, Mahler, but wouldn't it be a kick to find perhaps there's a relation to Gustav Mahler?