Count Johann Nepomuk Wilczek
Encyclopedia
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
; d. January 27, 1922 in the same city) was an Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
sponsor of Polar expeditions and artists.
Young Hans Wilczek studied archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
and natural sciences. In 1863 he travelled to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, including Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
and the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. Then, in 1866, he enlisted in the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
as a volunteer. Between 1868 and 1870 he travelled across Africa.
Count Wilczek was the main sponsor of the Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition
Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition
The Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition was an expedition that ran from 1872–74 and discovered Franz-Josef Land. According to Julius von Payer, one of the leaders, the journey was to find the north-eastern passage. It actually explored the area northwest of Novaya Zemlya. According to the...
, led by Julius Payer and Karl Weyprecht
Karl Weyprecht
Karl Weyprecht, also spelt Carl Weyprecht, was an Austro-Hungarian explorer. He was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. He is most famous as an Arctic explorer, and an advocate of international cooperation for scientific polar exploration...
from 1872 to 1874. He contributed with an amount that was significantly greater than the funds contributed by the second largest sponsor of the venture, Hungarian Count Ödon Zichy
Zichy
Zichy , the name of a noble Magyar family, conspicuous in Hungarian history from the latter part of the 13th century onwards.-Brief history of the Zichy:...
(1811–1894).
From 1875 onwards, Count Wilczek held the title of President of the Austrian Geographical Society in order to promote the construction of weather stations in the Arctic. The Austrian polar station on Jan Mayen Island was built and equipped in 1882 fully at his own costs.
As promoter of the fine arts, Count Wilczek was the founder of the "Viennese Society of Art Lovers" (Gesellschaft der Wiener Kunstfreunde). He ordered the construction of Burg Kreuzenstein
Burg Kreuzenstein
Burg Kreuzenstein is a castle in Lower Austria, Austria. It was constructed in the 19th century by the Wilczek family. Kreuzenstein is interesting in that it was constructed out of sections of medieval structures purchased by the family from all over Europe to form an authentic-looking castle...
close to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
between 1874 and 1906. This monumental mansion is now a museum that houses his extensive art collections.
Wilczek Land
Wilczek Land
Wilczek Land , is a large-sized island located at . It is a part of Franz Josef Land, Russia.Wilczek Land is the second largest island of the Franz Josef Archipelago. It is almost completely glaciarized except for two narrow areas along its western shores. The highest point on the island is 606...
and Wilczek Island
Wilczek Island
Wilczek Island, is located in the southeastern end of Franz Josef Land, Russia.Wilczek Island is a 10 km long island southwest of Salm Island, separated from the latter by a 3 km wide sound.-History:...
, two islands in Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land, or Francis Joseph's Land is an archipelago located in the far north of Russia. It is found in the Arctic Ocean north of Novaya Zemlya and east of Svalbard, and is administered by Arkhangelsk Oblast. Franz Josef Land consists of 191 ice-covered islands with a...
, were named after this Austrian Count.