Albert Salomon von Rothschild

Albert Salomon Anselm Freiherr von Rothschild ( born October 29, 1844 in Vienna, † February 11, 1911 ibid ) was the youngest son of Anselm Salomon Freiherr von Rothschild and Charlotte de Rothschild. After the death of his father he took over the leadership of the Rothschild bank in Vienna and became one of the most important representatives of the Austrian branch of the banking family.

Albert von Rothschild attended a grammar school in Vienna and studied at the University of Bonn, then he worked in a bank in Hamburg. In 1874 he took over the leadership of the Rothschild bank in Vienna by his father. He has also held control of the kk privileged Austrian Credit-Anstalt of Trade and Industry (CA ) and developed it into the largest bank of Austria-Hungary.

Due to the good earnings situation of the CA 1909 to 1912 he was in Vienna Schottengasse a banking house in neo-classical style building designed by the architects Ernst Gotthilf, as well as by Alexander Neumann, which is preserved to this day.

Rothschild was in 1910 with an estimated fortune of one billion crowns as the richest Europeans. Among other things, the family called the Palais Heugasse 24-26, Theresianumgasse 14-16, Plösslgasse 8 in Vienna and the castles in Langau, Enzesfeld, Schiller village, Beneschau, Reichenau, as well as for the estate administration of the extended rothschild'schen lands in 1875 in the region furnished and remodeled in 1881 in Neo-Gothic style castle Rothschild in Waidhofen an der Ybbs their own, yet also the Roth Forest, the largest contiguous forest area in central Europe.

In 1876 he married Bettina Caroline de Rothschild ( 1858-1892 ), daughter of James de Rothschild. From this marriage the following children were born:

After the early death of his wife Rothschild devoted himself to his art collection, astronomy and photography, as well as social and charitable concerns, such as the Bettina Foundation, the Rothschild Hospital, Museum of Decorative Arts, etc. He also inherited the palace and the art collection of his childless deceased brother Nathaniel. After his death, the collection of his sons Alphonse, Louis and Eugene was divided.

Rothschild was a keen chess player and worked extensively as a chess patron. Since 1872, he was president and patron of the Vienna Chess Society and (since 1897) following Wiener chess clubs, which he headed until his death.