Life and Children
Hermann Christian's family moved in 1860 to Vienna, where he was involved in the furniture industry, and was financially extremely successful. In 1865, the young Karl secretly left home and sought his fortune in the U.S., with a violin as his only possession. There he earned a living as a musician and a waiter in bars. In 1867 he moved back home with a great deal of self-confidence.
In Vienna, Karl studied at the technical university and became a draftsman and engineer. He began at a steel mill in Teplitz, where he eventually became director in 1877, continuously expanding the business, building factories and taking over rival mines and mills, and then a few years later he became principal shareholder, and was one of the leading industrialists in 19th century Europe.
Karl married Leopoldine Kallmus in 1873. They had the following children:
- Hermine "Mining" (b. December 1, 1874 in Teplitz; d. February 11, 1950 in Vienna) unmarried
- Dora (b. 1876 in Vienna; died at birth)
- Johannes "Hans" (b. 1877 in Vienna; d. 1902 in Chesapeake Bay, probable suicide), a musical prodigy
- Konrad "Kurt" (b. May 1, 1878 in Vienna; d. October/November 1918, suicide)
- Helene "Lenka" (b. August 23, 1879 in Vienna; d. April 1956 in Vienna) married to Dr. Max Salzer
- Rudolf "Rudi" (b. June 27, 1881 in Vienna; d. May 2, 1904 in Berlin, suicide)
- Margaret "Gretl" (b. September 19, 1882 in Vienna; d. September 27, 1958 in Vienna) married to Jerome Stonborough in 1904, divorced in 1923
- Paul (b. May 11, 1887 in Vienna; d. March 3, 1961 in New York), concert pianist
- Ludwig "Lucki" (b. April 26, 1889 in Vienna; d. April 29, 1951 in Cambridge), philosopher
Read more about this topic: Karl Wittgenstein
Famous quotes containing the words life and, life and/or children:
“There must be a world revolution which puts an end to all materialistic conditions hindering woman from performing her natural role in life and driving her to carry out man’s duties in order to be equal in rights.”
—Muammar Qaddafi (b. 1938)
“All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“Affection, indulgence, and humor alike are powerless against the instinct of children to rebel. It is essential to their minds and their wills as exercise is to their bodies. If they have no reasons, they will invent them, like nations bound on war. It is hard to imagine families limp enough always to be at peace. Wherever there is character there will be conflict. The best that children and parents can hope for is that the wounds of their conflict may not be too deep or too lasting.”
—New York State Division of Youth Newsletter (20th century)