Count Johann Nepomuk Wilczek
Johann Nepomuk Graf Wilczek ( born December 7, 1837 in Vienna, † 27 January 1922 ibid ), called Hans Graf Wilczek, was an Austrian polar explorer and patron of the arts.
Life
Wilczek studied archeology, art and natural history, and went in 1863 to Southern Russia, the Crimea and the Caucasus. As a volunteer, he took part in the 1866 German war. Between 1868 and 1870 he traveled in Africa.
Hans Wilczek was the main sponsor of the Austria -Hungarian North Pole expedition of Julius Payer and Carl Weyprecht in 1872 bis 1874. With his money, the schooner S / X Admiral Tegetthoff was built and bought the necessary extensive equipment for the expedition.
In 1872 he was also director of the Second Isbjörn expedition whose purpose was to build a coal and provisions depot for the polar expedition. After the accidental meeting of Isbjörn and Tegetthoff and the creation of a food depots on the coast of the Barents the Isbjörn reached the Pechora estuary, from where Wilczek on the Pechora and Volga by Russia further traveled and arrived back in Vienna on November 9. As a photographer Wilhelm Burger was with him on the go.
Now trapped by pack ice - - In the further course of the Austria -Hungarian North Pole expedition, the crew discovered Tegetthoff 1874 a group of islands to the north, and gave her first explorations by the name Kaiser- Franz- Josef Land. The northernmost island received as Rudolf Island the name of Crown Prince Rudolf, two others were called Wilczek Island and Wilczek Land.
After two winters (only one was planned) got the entire crew of about 30 men, only the engineer Otto Krisch died of illness, using makeshift back to a safe port on Novaya Zemlya and was received triumphantly in the summer of 1874 in Vienna.
Since 1875, Wilczek served as President of the Austrian Geographical Society for the setting up of permanent meteorological stations around the North Pole in 1882 and equipped at his own expense, the Austrian station on the island of Jan Mayen. Since 1881 he was a member of the Numismatic Society of Vienna.
The k.u.k. Army Museum (now Museum of Military History ) in Vienna took place in Count Wilczek, a special conveyor. Chaired by Crown Prince Rudolf and Archduke Wilhelm was a member of the Committee was founded in 1885, who was responsible for the formation and development of the museum, which was opened on May 25, 1891 by Emperor Franz Joseph. At the opening ceremony Wilczek personally led the Emperor through the showrooms.
Between 1874 and 1906 was the monumental Wilczek Kreuzenstein Castle near Vienna build a museum for his extensive art collections, in 1886 he acquired the castle Moosham.
Wilczek was profit basis and was built in Vienna together with Theodor Billroth the Rudolfiner, founded the Vienna Volunteer Rescue Association and the Vienna Studentenkonvikt.
Johann Nepomuk Graf Wilczek died on 27 January 1922 in Vienna and found his final resting place at the chapel of the castle stone cross.
Family
Since 1858 Wilczek had been married to Countess Emma Emo Capodilista ( 1833-1924 ), a maid of honor of Archduchess Sophie. They had four children together. But regardless of Wilczek was an admirer, as well as Emperor Franz Joseph of Katharina Schratt as could be seen from love letters dating back to 1886.
A great-grandson Wilczek is the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein Hans -Adam II.
Appreciation
1932 Wilczekgasse in Vienna-Favoriten was named after him.
Portraits: