tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12954565223319293082024-03-13T09:23:52.702-04:00Rediscovering JosephuOn-going research and biography for Josef and Florian Josephu (brothers); Josef Josephu, a sculptor born in Vienna, January 12, 1899, emigrated to New York 1939, and died in New York 1970....and his brother, Florian Josephu-DrouotMarc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-58871366941422327582018-03-02T09:32:00.000-05:002018-03-02T09:32:40.094-05:00Hummel Copycats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioMwyWhEhNA/WplgRMbp6GI/AAAAAAAABis/HFYtwWIc6As2g9_OJQW25fx7rXWcwimYwCLcBGAs/s1600/SYWA2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1321" height="386" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioMwyWhEhNA/WplgRMbp6GI/AAAAAAAABis/HFYtwWIc6As2g9_OJQW25fx7rXWcwimYwCLcBGAs/s640/SYWA2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="9o3of" data-offset-key="53svp-0-0" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="53svp-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">Today, March 2, marks the birthday of actress Jennifer Jones. In 1944 she appeared with Joseph Cotton in the David O Selznick film "Since Your Went Away." The film featured a small Hummel-like figure by my grandfather, Josef Josephu. </span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="53svp-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">During WWII Josef and a partner had created "Decorative Figurines" to create copy-cat Hummel figurines. In his book "Hummel Copycats with Values" author Lawrence Wonsch states the artwork by Josephu was better than Hummel, and the figurines would be more valuable if the reproductions had a slightly better quality.</span></div>
</div>
<br />Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-28713289353428712872018-03-01T17:18:00.001-05:002018-03-01T17:18:10.244-05:00Oskar Kokoschka<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BWRiO-SUVk/Wph5O07tT_I/AAAAAAAABig/8_NLNx-6b9ExU-u3ZdrVNT9POfVmBvK-wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Kokoschka%2BYoung.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BWRiO-SUVk/Wph5O07tT_I/AAAAAAAABig/8_NLNx-6b9ExU-u3ZdrVNT9POfVmBvK-wCEwYBhgL/s320/Kokoschka%2BYoung.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Young Kokoschka</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">Today, March 1, marks the birth of Austrian painter Oskar Kokoschka, a contemporary of my grandfather, Viennese sculptor Josef Josephu.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>There is strong reason to believe they would have known each other. Both studied with artists of the Secession. Kokoschka had an affair with Alma Mahler, and my grandmother was a 2nd cousin to Gustav Mahler. Carl Moll was a founding member of the Secession and father to Alma.</b></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Oskar painted a portrait of his friend Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, husband of Adele for the famed Klimt portrait. The Josephu brothers were related to Ivan Mestrovic through a marraige, and Ivan;s wife designed hats for Emile Floge, mate of Klimt...and the borthers studied at the Vienna Academy at the same time as Egon Schiele. The Bloch-Bauers, patrons of the arts ,live very close to the Academy and Secession house.</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;"><b>In a letter dated 1924 nmaing Viennese artists that were to represent Austria in the 1925 International Art Exhibition in Rome, Kokoshka and Moll's names are crossed of, and Josef's is written in. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 13px;"><b>The art and music world in Vienna was very small, and my grandfather and his brother were part of it.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-60216012238372222842016-05-04T09:05:00.001-04:002016-05-04T09:13:41.207-04:00St. Florian<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, May 4th, is often referred to as "Star Wars Day" (May the fourth be with you!)....but it's also St. Florian's Day, also known as <a href="http://www.firefightersday.org/about-iffd/st-florian/" target="_blank">International Firefighter's Day.</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
St. Florian was an officer of the Roman Army, born about 250 AD in the Roman City of Aelium Cetium. now Sankt Polten, Austria) who occupied a high post in Noricum, now part of Austria. His legendary acts lead to him being declared a saint and his body was eventually moved to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hetfkwgLy4g" target="_blank">Augustinian Abbey of St. Florian</a>, near Linz, Austria, which is also home to the Feuerwehr Museum.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span id="goog_1101727414"></span><span id="goog_1101727415"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qRoR1sXbBOc/Vynwp076QvI/AAAAAAAAAtI/TTLZGPgc5boSW771hb6uCPWKUPfkmnrAQCLcB/s1600/IMGP0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qRoR1sXbBOc/Vynwp076QvI/AAAAAAAAAtI/TTLZGPgc5boSW771hb6uCPWKUPfkmnrAQCLcB/s400/IMGP0023.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chapel of St. Florian - Augustinian Abbey.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
St. Florian is also one of Josef Josephu's most revered sculptures. Originally unveiled in Vienna in 1935, at the <a href="https://www.wien.gv.at/menschen/sicherheit/feuerwehr/museum/" target="_blank">Wiener Feuerwhermuseum</a> of Am Hof, the statue adorned the building until World War II. A bomb gutted the building and the statue fell off, thought it sustained a small amount of damage it remained intact. Today the piece is found inside the museum and considered a a symbol of the Austrian fire brigade. The bronze statue stands at 3 Meters, almost 10 feet. The photo below features Josef, who was 6' tall, at his creation in 1935.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLnqjttBnXA/Vyny2bUQF0I/AAAAAAAAAtg/dijGYclgolMsrJROHHA2XVykalMdqmSGwCLcB/s1600/St.%2BFlorian%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLnqjttBnXA/Vyny2bUQF0I/AAAAAAAAAtg/dijGYclgolMsrJROHHA2XVykalMdqmSGwCLcB/s320/St.%2BFlorian%2B6.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-53609425491242788502016-02-22T12:28:00.000-05:002016-02-22T12:28:44.041-05:00News recognition<div style="text-align: justify;">
This past weekend I continued more online research. When I visited Vienna in December of 2014, I visited the <a href="http://www.onb.ac.at/" target="_blank">National Library</a> and found to citing's of Florian and Josef's names in old newspapers. Austria is slowly scanning old newspapers into searchable PDF's - a wonderful resource! At the anticipated rate I had expected it would be years before papers released during the Josephus' most prolific time would be scanned.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm up to the time of end of the First World War, and had recalled the two clippings found in December 2014 were about the brothers' return after the war. I had hoped I could relocate the items online in the Library's searchable database. At first I had difficulty in knowing which area to search, the Library assistants there were prompt in answering my email with clear instructions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, of to work I went - and what a trove. Apparently, the digitizing of the old newspapers is going well. There are initially 137 hits on the Joseph name in the Library database. I then reviewed each one, downloading the ones that were definitively Florian or Josef....then I compared the download to the online version. Their system shows all the pages, highlights the page where the name was found. I'd then click on that page and the name is highlighted in the text. I'd then mark the same spot in my download PDF so O could study it later.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The result: 75 newspapers issues reference either Josef, Florian, or both!!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My next step is to come up with a simple cataloging system using Excel, then get each of the references translated. Hopefully the yield will be worth it. I was certainly an intense and tedious day of work, but the results were worth it. </div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-48533122009016034162016-01-10T12:57:00.001-05:002016-02-22T12:31:27.570-05:00Das Wunder des Roten Wien<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've received the two-volume illustrate history of Red Vienna, <em>The Wonder of Red Vienna</em> (<em>Das</em> <em>Wunder des Roten Wien</em>) by <a href="http://phoibos.at/Autoren-Hrsg/I-J/Das-Wunder-des-Roten-Wien-Band-I-Zwischen-Wirtschaftskrise-und-Art-d-co.html" target="_blank">Harald A. Jahn</a>, which were kindly signed by the author. I had the chance to join Harald for coffee in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_Museum" target="_blank">Café Museum</a>, just off the <a href="https://www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/ringstrasse2015" target="_blank">Ringstrasse</a> near the Vienna Opera House ... and I look forward to another chat with Harald upon my next visit, perhaps at Café Sperl.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Harald's book is a remarkable body of research about the Interwar period of Vienna (1918-1939) known as "Red Vienna." The two-volume set features extensive color photos of buildings erected during that post World War I era. 1918-1939 was also a very prolific time for the Josephu brothers and some of their work is featured in Jahn's book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IxRRlHNPHZw/VpKZaaui84I/AAAAAAAAArk/b9Lsak0Yo50/s1600/10001154_10201553675871093_123103580_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IxRRlHNPHZw/VpKZaaui84I/AAAAAAAAArk/b9Lsak0Yo50/s320/10001154_10201553675871093_123103580_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In Volume 1, page 47, Josef's work is featured (pictured above) in a reference to the Albrecht Durer-Bundes, an artists association in which Josef was very active. In Volume 11, page 87, Josef's <em>Zuflucht</em>, located at Trostsrasse 68-70, Pernerstorfer-hof, is featured along with a photo we gladly supplied; with additional <em>Zuflucht</em> photos on page 110 and 111.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SEgKAvcOLnk/VpKZoaKsgcI/AAAAAAAAArs/Xe3pkdUdnPw/s1600/putto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SEgKAvcOLnk/VpKZoaKsgcI/AAAAAAAAArs/Xe3pkdUdnPw/s320/putto.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In Volume 1, page 178, Florian's <em>Putto am Zierbrunnen</em> (above) at the Sandleitenhof Library is featured. This work of Florian is also featured in <em>Architektur des Roten</em> Wien by Walter Zednicek on page 147.</div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-81361106165479173322015-12-10T17:07:00.002-05:002015-12-10T17:07:35.235-05:00Public Talks<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="1gju2-0-0" style="text-align: justify;">
<span data-offset-key="1gju2-0-0"><span data-text="true">A few months ago I gave a short talk at <a href="http://www.molloy.edu/" target="_blank">Molloy College</a> about "Brothers in Stone," the biography of my grandfather and his brother - Josef and Florian Josephu. The crowd must have really enjoyed it. Today I received a request to repeat the talk at a different group at Molloy College next May. </span></span></div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="qbus-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="qbus-0-0"><span data-text="true">
</span></span></div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0" style="text-align: justify;">
<span data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0"><span data-text="true">I'll refine the talk a bit by then - but this is a great to build awareness and build an audience. I hope I can find other opportunities for presentations soon.</span></span></div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0"><span data-text="true"></span></span> </div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0" style="text-align: justify;">
<span data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0"><span data-text="true">I have also ordered a copy of Harold Jahn's book on the architecture of Red Vienna, "<a href="http://www.mauerspiel.at/roteswien" target="_blank">Das Wunder des Roten Wien</a>." Red Vienna was the name for the interwar period of 1919-1939. The book, published in Austria, features my grandfather's statue <em>Zuflucht</em>. Harold has been kind to offer signing the book before it ships. Below is a photo of the dedication of <em>Zuflucht</em>.</span></span></div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0" style="text-align: justify;">
<span data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0"><span data-text="true"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hI7WA05agxs/Vmn3XmwEcJI/AAAAAAAAArM/00TB-b5696I/s1600/zuflucht.BMP" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hI7WA05agxs/Vmn3XmwEcJI/AAAAAAAAArM/00TB-b5696I/s320/zuflucht.BMP" width="284" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I'm open for doing more talks if anyone knows of a place that would be interested!</div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-contents="true" data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0" style="text-align: justify;">
<span data-offset-key="a8i3m-0-0"><span data-text="true"></span></span> </div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-48550853840455986802015-11-19T16:37:00.002-05:002015-11-19T16:38:27.822-05:00Exciting Author for the 'Forward'<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm very pleased that <a href="http://www.annemarieoconnor.com/" target="_blank">Anne Marie O'Connor</a> has agreed to write the forward for <em>Brothers in Stone</em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anne-Marie is a veteran foreign correspondent and culture writer who has covered everything from post-Soviet Cuba to American artists and intellectuals. O’Connor attended Vassar and the San Francisco Art Institute and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where she and fellow students co-created an award-winning documentary on the repression of mural artists after the 1973 military coup in Chile. She covered the wars in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala as a Reuters bureau chief in Central America; the Shining Path guerrillas in Peru, coups in Haiti and U.S. interventions in Haiti and Panama; and covered Cuba and Haiti for a newspaper chain. At the Los Angeles Times she chronicled the violence of Mexico’s Arellano-Felix drug cartel, U.S. political convention; and profiled such figures as Nelson Mandela, George Soros, Joan Didion, John McCain, and Maya Lin. <br /><br />Her story on Maria Altmann’s effort to recover the family Klimt collection appeared in the Los Angeles Times Magazine in 2001. She has written for Esquire, The Nation, and The Christian Science Monitor. She currently contributes to The Washington Post from Jerusalem.<span class="color_30"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="color_30"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="color_30"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="color_30">Most recently Ms. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne-Marie_O%27Connor" target="_blank">O'Connor</a> has written the definitive book on Gustav Klimt's masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, otherwise known as "Woman in Gold." Her book <em><a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/123242/the-lady-in-gold-by-anne-marie-oconnor/9780307265647" target="_blank">Lady in Gold</a></em> is superb and highly recommended. Ms. O'Connor is a leading expert on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Klimt" target="_blank">Gustav Klimt</a>, and had introduced me to his grandson, Gustav Zimmerman, on my last trip to Vienna.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="color_30"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-C4w7h8H9I/Vk5ApdktCOI/AAAAAAAAAqs/rf4RjhvFpX4/s1600/GustavZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-C4w7h8H9I/Vk5ApdktCOI/AAAAAAAAAqs/rf4RjhvFpX4/s320/GustavZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Above: Gustav Zimmerman, me, my cousin George <br />and dear friend Herbert Fischer in Vienna, Dec 2014.</em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="color_30"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="color_30">It'll be quite some time before my draft is done, and I'm very honored she has accepted to write the forward. Thanks, Anne Marie! </span></span></div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-67508809655438751502015-11-03T18:38:00.000-05:002015-11-03T18:38:06.551-05:00Ongoing Research and Results<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The research on Josephu is an ongoing process, sometimes very slow and sometimes surprisingly fast. Sunday night I sent an email to three facilities in Vienna seeking a photo of one of Josef's teachers, Josef Muellner. The next morning I had three replies and the photo, which they have given me permission to use in the book credited as courtesy of them.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, in a quick search today, I found another statue I did now know about, titled "Salome" (1920) probably cast by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Argentor-Werke" target="_blank">Argentor</a>, the company that reproduced many of Josef's work.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGi7u5TXums/VjlC_48T6NI/AAAAAAAAAqE/Tk_Kp3R_yDA/s1600/Salome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGi7u5TXums/VjlC_48T6NI/AAAAAAAAAqE/Tk_Kp3R_yDA/s1600/Salome.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then another piece of interesting data showed up. We know my mother went to school with <a href="http://www.hedylamarr.com/" target="_blank">Hedy Lamarr</a> in Vienna (before she was Hedy Lamarr). A wooden statue by Josef (St. Anthony) stands in the beautiful <a href="http://www.karlskirche.at/" target="_blank">Karlskirche</a> (St. Charles' Church) located in Karlsplatz just off the Ringstrasse. Hedy married <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Mandl" target="_blank">Friedrich Mandl</a> August 10, 1933, in Karlskirche. My great-grandfather, Wenzel Josephu, was born on August 10th....and so was I. Fun stuff.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Meanwhile, I am looking forward to seeing some documents from the archives of the Fire Brigade Museum of Am Hof, Vienna. They reached out to me that they have several documents about my grandfather. He sculpted a large bronze (St. Florian, patron saint of firemen) and has 8 pieces in their museum.</span></div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-67355397850897889722015-09-18T12:12:00.002-04:002015-09-18T12:12:24.806-04:00NY Times 1940Josef Josephu had his first exhibition in America at NY's Steinway Hall (Feb 1940). The NY Times called him a Viennese Rodin. Looking at this photo comparison and you can see why.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_uItTEkF_U/Vfw3x9RhvzI/AAAAAAAAApk/qYBPcF6zEH0/s1600/Josef-Rodin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_uItTEkF_U/Vfw3x9RhvzI/AAAAAAAAApk/qYBPcF6zEH0/s320/Josef-Rodin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-72020124144211028182015-08-20T10:26:00.002-04:002015-09-18T12:12:49.577-04:00Great Artists Alike<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Josephu brothers, Florian and Josef, were surrounded by many artists who went on to achieve lasting fame. It is entirely logical to assume that the paths of Florian, Josef, Egon Schiele, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Klimt" target="_blank">Gustav Klimt</a> and Oskar Kokoschka - even Adolf Hitler - would have crossed.<br /><br />In 1918, Josef married a young concert pianist, Olga Kohn, who was the 2nd cousin to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Mahler" target="_blank">Gustav Mahler</a> (who died in 1911).</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Florian Josephu entered the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_of_Fine_Arts_Vienna" target="_blank">Vienna Academy of Fine Arts</a> (Akademie die Bildenden Kunste) in 1904/1905, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egon_Schiele" target="_blank">Egon Schiele</a> entered in 1906. In 1907 Josef entered the Academy; Alois Schicklbruber (Adolf Hitler) was rejected by the Academy in 1907.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1914 Josef had an exhibition at Gustav Klimt's Secession House, and in several magazine/newspaper articles identify Josef as a sculptor who came out of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Secession" target="_blank">Secession movement</a>.</span> </div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-6720734744109100022015-07-26T11:02:00.002-04:002015-07-26T11:02:55.050-04:00Gustav Mahler<div style="text-align: justify;">
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.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0cImNRhhB8/VbT2hqaBMhI/AAAAAAAAAos/CKFJ5DQFL10/s1600/Gustav%2BMahler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0cImNRhhB8/VbT2hqaBMhI/AAAAAAAAAos/CKFJ5DQFL10/s200/Gustav%2BMahler.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-81392193855252526552015-07-19T15:10:00.003-04:002016-01-10T12:20:52.534-05:00A Family Tree Grows<div style="text-align: justify;">
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 <a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flori%C3%A1n_Zaj%C3%ADc" target="_blank">Florian Zajic</a>, legendary sculptor Ivan <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Me%C5%A1trovi%C4%87" target="_blank">Mestrovic</a>, and actor <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0907170/" target="_blank">Otto Waldis</a>. There's a small thread of a chance that there's a connection to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Mahler" target="_blank">Gustav Mahler</a>.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We know some of the well know friends of my grandfather include composer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmerich_K%C3%A1lm%C3%A1n" target="_blank">Emerich Kalman</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Slezak" target="_blank">Walter Slezak</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ferrer" target="_blank">Jose Ferrer</a>.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u>Update 1-10-16</u>: Another illustrious addition to the family tree was revealed - the Oscar winning film director <a href="http://milosforman.com/en/" target="_blank">Milos Forman</a>.</div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-30798943839703627612015-07-12T15:04:00.000-04:002015-07-12T15:04:26.416-04:00A family Forest<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thanks to the genealogical prowess of friend Herbert Fischer, and the power of an internet <a href="http://www.myheritage.com/site-family-tree-147743411/josephu-family-tree" target="_blank">family tree site</a>, 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.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One name in three is fairly common, Mahler, but wouldn't it be a kick to find perhaps there's a relation to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Mahler" target="_blank">Gustav Mahler</a>?</div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-66293932861087013632015-05-27T11:14:00.000-04:002015-05-27T11:14:24.611-04:00Looking back at the research...Just stepping back a bit to look at and reorganize the research materials for the book on <a class="profileLink" data-gt="{"entity_id":"191920574160898","entity_path":"\/profile_book.php"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=191920574160898" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Josef-Josephu-Florian-Josephu/191920574160898">Josef Josephu - Florian Josephu</a> ... wowsers. In addition to two filled large file boxes, there are 100's of emails and may 100's of scans of photos, articles and certificates. 15 years is really adding up, and now I'm on the slow process of putting into form. The challenge is...what to include and what to exclude. In addition to the biographical text there will be many photos and copies of certificates....I wouldn't be surprised if the final text exceeds 200 pages....easily.Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-19833336406579122362015-05-25T22:07:00.004-04:002015-05-25T22:07:59.995-04:00More discoveryThis Memorial Day weekend was put to use with more research, and putting more thoughts down on paper. The project is taking form. I do need to find a better way to organize so as to make it easier to go through all the materials while I process the information.<br />
<br />
Some patience paid off...while searching the internet I found two more Argentor bronze statues by Josef Josephu. One titled "Spring," the other "Summer." This makes me wonder if there was originally 4 pieces and there's a "Fall" and "Winter" out there somewhere. Hopefully, time will tell.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D40VHNGtp4c/VWPVbVm_w9I/AAAAAAAAAoQ/qLUmHoGPJXE/s1600/Untitled%2B-%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D40VHNGtp4c/VWPVbVm_w9I/AAAAAAAAAoQ/qLUmHoGPJXE/s1600/Untitled%2B-%2B1.jpg" /></a></div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-62334809982193879102015-03-13T08:57:00.000-04:002015-03-13T08:57:20.817-04:00August RodinIn February, 1940, Josef Josephu had his first American exhibition, just four months after immigrating to the United States. The showing was held at Steinway Hall on Manhattan's West 57th Street. All of the pieces were brought by ship from Vienna, along with Josef, his wife, Olga, and their daughter, Micaela. The exhibit was reviewed by the New York Times, which called Josef "a modern-day Rodin."<br />
<br />
Here's some rare footage of August Rodin sculpting in his studio.<br />
<a href="http://voxpopulisphere.com/2015/03/13/video-4/">http://voxpopulisphere.com/2015/03/13/video-4/</a>Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-75431630022808564642014-07-11T12:17:00.000-04:002014-07-11T12:17:02.336-04:00More discoveries!<span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_53c00ce7927878116229739" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, thanks to the help of friend Herbert Fischer, we've made another discovery. There was a company that Josef worked with in Vienna called </span><a href="http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentor-Werke_Rust_%26_Hetzel"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Argentor</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. They sold goods made of silver, bronze and gold. </span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had located a copy of their cata<span class="text_exposed_show">log from the 1930's but was having difficulty getting a response from the seller. Herbert purchased it on my behalf and sent me photos of the pages. Among are offered small reproductions of several pieces I own, smaller versions of a few pieces I've known about, and then some pieces I did not know of. It was a wonderful find. For example, here is a cut from the page showing one of two pieces Josef called "The Kiss" (both masters are in my apartment).</span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ofH73LHCHV8/U8ANvG2BAmI/AAAAAAAAAkc/9J8ji47dcQE/s1600/The+Kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ofH73LHCHV8/U8ANvG2BAmI/AAAAAAAAAkc/9J8ji47dcQE/s1600/The+Kiss.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Oe96qQXCLU/U8AN1XXr8RI/AAAAAAAAAkk/UOn3n_a7zlk/s1600/Argentor-Werke_Vienna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Oe96qQXCLU/U8AN1XXr8RI/AAAAAAAAAkk/UOn3n_a7zlk/s1600/Argentor-Werke_Vienna.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></span> </div>
</span>Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-85334808077260248882014-07-02T11:36:00.002-04:002014-07-02T11:36:18.233-04:00Another discovery<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I was contacted a few months ago through this blog by someone in Wisconsin who had two pieces by my grandfather, Josef. He sent me photos. Very exciting! These are pieces I did not know existed - supporting my continuing theory that there are still many more works by Josephu waiting be rediscovered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To add to my please, these are dated 1946 which means they were created after Josef came to the US, making them even more rare. They are a set of lamps, each different. Standing 20" tall, with a base of 8.5" ... the owner said they were plaster and he had them restored: they are excellent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ymxyx8DsDgE/U7QmTlCRvhI/AAAAAAAAAkE/93IPslVdZSM/s1600/Both+Lamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ymxyx8DsDgE/U7QmTlCRvhI/AAAAAAAAAkE/93IPslVdZSM/s1600/Both+Lamps.jpg" height="320" width="266" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I hadn't originally intended on purchasing these, but when my cousin Georg heard of them he suggest let's get them, and reproduce in bronze. So We got them! They look great next to my couch. The next step will be to see how to best travel them to Vienna, both cost-effectively and safely. I plan on visiting this December, so one option might be to somehow pack and bring on the plane.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-30707824607448569802014-05-16T10:42:00.001-04:002014-05-16T10:42:38.396-04:00Always something turns up!
I received from very interesting news from my cousin, Georg,
in Vienna. Through a chance meeting he came across a couple who restore
statues. The man, Rindler, is a sculptor and his wife an artist. Georg told
them of the funny story regarding one of my grandfather’s statues, a bust of
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guido_Holzknecht">Guido Holzknecht</a>, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which had been
improperly restored crediting the work Josephu Sheu who was not a sculptor. They
later discussed Georg’s connection to the Josephu family. It turns out that
Rindler has been hired to restore one of my grandfather’s works, a statue of
St. Francis of Assisi, and that the statue will be returned to its original location.
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Part of my research report on this statue was bout how it was
moved and appeared to be lost for many, many years...and my failed effort to locate it during my first visit to Vienna. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YKLm6owSQtU/U3Yjmq7DnLI/AAAAAAAAAjU/bYktYLRgXEg/s1600/St.+Francis+Assisi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YKLm6owSQtU/U3Yjmq7DnLI/AAAAAAAAAjU/bYktYLRgXEg/s1600/St.+Francis+Assisi.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
After I connected with Georg he told me he knew the piece – it was in an area he’s been many times. So this chapter of
the book will have a second happy ending – not only was the statue found, be
restored and returned.<br />
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-27690744464183045712012-12-21T15:00:00.003-05:002012-12-21T15:00:19.495-05:00Steinway Hall, NYC<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">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. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.steinwayshowrooms.com/steinway-hall">http://www.steinwayshowrooms.com/steinway-hall</a> </span></div>
</span>Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-11698579334382694682012-12-15T19:31:00.002-05:002012-12-15T19:31:59.465-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t1V9TFtUhgU/UM0V5nSygKI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/SvjLYsKW0v8/s1600/Denkmal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t1V9TFtUhgU/UM0V5nSygKI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/SvjLYsKW0v8/s320/Denkmal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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'.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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.</div>
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-3922784996769881222012-11-10T18:02:00.000-05:002012-11-10T18:02:14.364-05:00Slow, but progressingI 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Don't forget, if you use Facebook, and can follow the Josephu page by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Josef-Josephu-Florian-Josephu/191920574160898?ref=ts&fref=ts">CLICKING HERE</a><br />
Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-5479230118200304532012-06-23T20:53:00.002-04:002012-06-24T12:26:35.799-04:00More 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.<br />
<br />
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: <a href="http://www.stadtfilm-wien.at/film/122/">http://www.stadtfilm-wien.at/film/122/</a> (5:40 secs in)Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-39909207768664510852012-01-17T17:24:00.001-05:002012-01-19T10:15:15.777-05:00Back to researchI'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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
More soon...Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295456522331929308.post-30553000683911763902011-09-07T08:50:00.002-04:002011-09-07T08:50:31.943-04:00Wien MuseumI just received a photo disk from the Vienna Museum. There are four Josephu pieces in their archives, three by Florian and one by Josef. The photos are well taken and I have paid for rights of use in my biography. Now that the weather is cooling, and other time-consuming events are ending, I'll have time to return to reviewing my research, doing more research, and getting back to the writing.Marc Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04428476103057283220noreply@blogger.com0