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People always say that someone should remember, either for the dead or the actions they took or did not take, or as object lessons about something terrible or wonderful. If one is going to keep the flames alive for the victims, no doubt someone else will keep the flames alive for the perpetrators.
Thomas d. lonner / my blood strangers
“Chic Parisien” ca. 1925
Published by Atelier Bachwitz.
Operating officially from 1898-1958, Atelier Bachwitz / Bachwitz AG was an international publishing house that produced and distributed fashion designs and lifestyle magazines from the Palais des Beaux Arts building at Löwengasse 47 in the third district of Vienna. Initiated by Arnold Bachwitz, the publishing house was handled primarily by himself, his wife Rosine, and their daughters Alice and Margarethe until the rise of National Socialism. In 1938, after Austria was annexed into the German Third Reich, the administrative board of the company fell under the rule of the Nuremberg Race Laws and underwent Aryanization as part of the effort to “de-Jew the economy”. As a result of this seizure, the board – comprised mostly of the Bachwitz family – was replaced, their publishing rights to several fashion magazines revoked. In the span of only four years, the original inhabitants of the Palais des Beaux Arts Wien had been almost entirely erased.
The Bachwitz’s topical and seasonal journals included The Fashion Designer, Chic Parisien (1898-1939), The Large Mode (1900-1922), The Elegant Woman (1900-1929), The Coming Season (1920-1938), Les Tailleurs Charmants (1939), and Moderne Welt (1918-1939). A number of their publications were printed in multiple languages (German, French, English and Russian) and distributors of their publications were listed in Paris, Vienna, London, Berlin, Brussels, Milan, Lisbon, New York, Prague, Bucharest, Minsk, Madrid, Barcelona, Auckland, Melbourne and Warsaw.
“Chic Parisien”
Published by Atelier Bachwitz.
“Chic Parisien” ca. 1925
Published by Atelier Bachwitz.
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1898
Atelier Bachwitz is founded by Arnold Bachwitz. Its first publication Der Modezeichner comes out this year, followed by Chic Parisien.
-1908
-1909
Palais des Beaux Arts is built on Löwengasse 47, in the third district of Vienna (Landstraße). Designed by architects Anton and Josef Drexler, the Art Nouveau building is the new home of Atelier Bachwitz / Bachwitz AG. It has printing facilities in the basement, apartments for the Bachwitz family and is meant to embody the spirit of the ‘Beaux Arts’.
1930
Arnold Bachwitz dies on November 12th at the age of 76 of natural causes in Vienna (1854 - 1930). Rosine Bachwitz takes over as the primary caretaker of Atelier Bachwitz / Bachwitz AG.
1938
The administrative board of the company falls under the rule of the Nuremberg Race Laws and undergoes Aryanization. At the time, Atelier Bachwitz has around 320 employees.
As a result of this seizure, the board – comprised mostly of the Bachwitz family – is replaced, their publishing rights to several fashion magazines revoked.
Grete Lebach (b.1885 to Arnold and Rosine Bachwitz) dies on August 17th at the age of 53 in Vienna.
1942
Upon purchasing 20,000 shares, a Nazi authority becomes the owner of Bachwitz AG on November 4th, and converts the company into a publicity and propaganda firm for the regime.
Rosine Bachwitz, primary caretaker of Atelier Bachwitz / Bachwitz AG and wife of Arnold Bachwitz, is murdered in the Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Alice Strel (b.1887 to Arnold and Rosine Bachwitz) is arrested and deported on June 10 to Prague, she is lost in Tallinn, Estonia and dies under unknown circumstances during a death transport from Prague.
1946
Atelier Bachwitz becomes the property of the Republic of Austria, existing almost exclusively on paper.
1958
Atelier Bachwitz is officially dissolved.
1991
The Palais des Beaux Arts building is renovated and put under historic protection.
1998
The Generali Insurance Company purchases the building as one of their real estate holdings.
2003
Restitution documents show that some 20,000 shares of the company’s stock were outstanding, and were eventually returned to descendants of the Bachwitz family and their relations.
A portion of the Atelier’s publications are also returned to the Bachwitz’ great-grandchildren from the Vienna City Library.
2014
Palais des Beaux Arts is reinstituted as an immaterial institution by Bernhard Garnicnig; producing and commissioning works for its collection.
2018
Bernhard Garnicnig invites Seth Weiner to continue the project based on their discussions about how different meanings and intentions behind the term ‘occupation’ collide in the Palais des Beaux Arts.
2021
On November 12, 2021, family member, friend, and spirited guide to the Palais des Beaux Arts, Thomas D. Lonner (b.1942, great-grandson of Arnold and Rosine Bachwitz) passes away peacefully at home on Bainbridge Island in the USA. Although Tom was never able to visit Vienna and meet his family’s building on Löwengasse, his words will continue to surround it. The Palais des Beaux Arts misses him deeply.
2022
Artist Antoine Turillon registers the 'Atelier Bachwitz' brand to the Verein of the Palais des Beaux Arts as a 'memorial, not out of metal'.
Moderne Welt
1937 / Issue 1 / p,7 Atelier Bachwitz
Among the published output of Atelier Bachwitz, Moderne Welt (1918-1939) was available in wide release and covered a range of topics including: art, literature, fashion, music, theater, lifestyle, and travel. Primarily written in German, the magazine paid homage to the creative class of Vienna as well as reflecting global attitudes toward the major cultural transformations that were underway during its two decades of production. The Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) currently possesses the largest number of Moderne Welt fashion and lifestyle publications. Digitized only recently, physical copies are available for viewing from the library's reserve desk.
Femininity and Modernity:
The Changing Face of Moderne Welt
Hannah Marynissen
Moderne Welt
1926 / Issue 22 / p,3 Atelier Bachwitz
Moderne Welt
1926 / Issue 21 / p,1 / *Cover MissingAtelier Bachwitz
Moderne Welt
1933 / Issue 12 / CoverAtelier Bachwitz
Moderne Welt
1933 / Issue 3 / CoverAtelier Bachwitz
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Moderne Welt
1938 / Issue 7 / p.7Atelier Bachwitz * while under occupation
“Moderne Welt”
1926 / Issue 8 / p.15Atelier Bachwitz
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This is an essay in the form of the story of the family that built this confection of a building, hovered over its wonderful creations for half a century, and then died. In its death, it was both a microcosm of its apocalyptic time and insanely typical of millions of other deaths.
Thomas d. lonner / my blood strangers
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The great-grandson of Arnold and Rosine Bachwitz, Thomas D. Lonner (1942-2021) wrote an essay in the form of a story about his family, their company Atelier Bachwitz / Bachwitz AG, and the Palais des Beaux Arts building in Vienna. Based on all of the evidence that he could piece together from retold fragments, fugitive documents and books, the text represents the most comprehensive portrait of the Bachwitz family to date.