Austrian Clock and Watchmaking At the present, the Republic of Austria represents a very small geographical part of the former Austrian-Hungarian Empire which ended with World War I in 1918. Clock and watchmaking in Austria was undertaken by craftsmen organized into guilds with very restrictive by laws. The Guild Masters accepted applicants with traditional craft, family, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The archives in Graz/Styria, Austria recorded that the Clockmaker Guild barred, punished and jailed persons in the 14 century for making clocks without proper credentials. The Guild Masters regulations in the city of Vienna awarded the degree; "Common Master", differing from the title of; "Viennese Clockmaker Master". Some clock/watchmakers received the title of; "By Her Imperial Highness Court Appointed"; or "By Her Highness Privilege", or "Protected by Privileged Guild Relationship". During the middle of the 17th century, France strongly inspired the Austrian clockmaking/watchmaking trade. Emigrants from Switzerland and France opened watchmaking shops in Vienna, producing pocket watches, travel alarms clocks, astronomical locks and other timepieces with elaborate exterior gold and silversmithing for a well-to-do clientele. In general, Austrian clockmaking and watchmaking did not differ from the applied technology common in the European countries. Two independent clock manufacturers started a very promising enterprise. One manufacturer linked a clock/watchmaker college to his place of business, "The OSTEREICHISCHE UHRMACHERSCHULE KARLSTEIN"; (Austrian Horological College Karlstein) located in Karlstein on the River Thaya. Herr Hurt Dietschold from Dresden Saxonia, educated at the famous Watchmaker School of Glashuette, Saxonia, Germany, was appointed director in 1879. The other entrepreneur from the Black Forest purchased a prestigious clock manufacturing plant, the "Resch Gebruder Uhrenfabrik" (translation is The Brothers Clock Factory) in Ebensee located in North Central Austria. Lorenz Resch was appointed Jeweller of the Austrian Imperial Court. In 1862, he started a modest clock manufacturing plant, and in 1871 moved to Ebensee. Shortly before the new Ebensee facility began operations, Lorenz passed away. His three sons continued his business. The Gebrueder Resch clock factory became a most respected Austrian clock manufacturer. In the year 1901, the Junghans Clock factory of Schramberg, Germany, purchased the plant, and marketed clocks under the name "Remember". After World War I the economic and political conditions in Austria were not favorable, and the new line of clocks did not sell well. Finally in 1921 and 1922, the Junghans enterprise was forced to sell all their holdings. After WW I clockmaking was not a viable enterprise and came to an end in Austria. After WW II a few short lived clock factories in Karlstein-Thaya tried to regain the Austrian clock market. However, Germany industries and others took over the market with mass-produced inexpensive clocks, while the Swiss captured a good share of the Austrian watch market. Regards Tim Sweet M.O.S.T Watch & Clock Co. http://www.tritco.com/most/most1.html BHI # 17340 AWI # 27151 NAWCC # 0126750 President NAWCC Rio Grande Chapter #117