Hubert Petschnigg
Encyclopedia
Hubert Petschnigg was an Austria
n architect
.
, and went to school in Villach
. In 1934 he began to study architecture at the Vienna University of Technology
, where he entered the Hansea Vienna branch of the Kösener Corps
student society. Before he could graduate, however, he was called up for military service. After the Second World War he resumed his studies at the Graz University of Technology
(TU Graz), under Karl Raimund Lorenz and Friedrich Zotter, and graduated with an engineering degree in 1947.
In 1948 he began working at the architectural firm of Helmut Hentrich and Hans Heuser. After Heuser's death in 1953, Petschnigg became his replacement and founded the HP firm together with Hentrich. The firm was expanded to six partners in 1959 and renamed HPP Hentrich, Petschnigg & Partners. Over the following decades it became one of the most prolific and best-known architectural firms in Germany.
In 1962 Petschnigg was granted entry to the Corps Marchia Brünn branch of the Kösener Corps in Trier
. He was named "Honorary Senator" of TU Graz in 1977, and in 1982 the government of West Germany
awarded him the Federal Cross of Merit – a particular honour for Petschnigg, as he was Austrian. In 1988 he became an honorary member of the Engineers' and Architects' Association of North Rhine-Westphalia
.
Petschnigg's particular passion was the maintenance of memorials. He also restored old buildings, including the Burg Pyrmont castle in the Eifel
, in which he spent his final years, living with his wife as the castle's keeper. He died in 1997.
(now E.ON
) in Düsseldorf
, the Ministry of the Interior for North Rhine-Westphalia
, the RWI Essen
research centre, the TÜV Rheinland
building in Cologne
, the Ruhr University Bochum, and the Europa-Center
in Berlin
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
.
Life
Petschnigg was born in KlagenfurtKlagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
, and went to school in Villach
Villach
Villach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
. In 1934 he began to study architecture at the Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology is one of the major universities in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Founded in 1815 as the "Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute" , it currently has about 26,200 students , 8 faculties and about 4,000 staff members...
, where he entered the Hansea Vienna branch of the Kösener Corps
Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband
The Kösener Senioren-Convents-Verband is the oldest association of German and Austrian Studentenverbindungen. It comprises roughly 105 German, Austrian and a Swiss Corps, all of which are based upon the principle of tolerance....
student society. Before he could graduate, however, he was called up for military service. After the Second World War he resumed his studies at the Graz University of Technology
Graz University of Technology
The Graz University of Technology is the second largest university in Styria, Austria, after the University of Graz. Austria has three universities of technology – in Graz, in Leoben, and in Vienna. The Graz University of Technology was founded in 1811 by Archduke John of Austria. TUG, as the...
(TU Graz), under Karl Raimund Lorenz and Friedrich Zotter, and graduated with an engineering degree in 1947.
In 1948 he began working at the architectural firm of Helmut Hentrich and Hans Heuser. After Heuser's death in 1953, Petschnigg became his replacement and founded the HP firm together with Hentrich. The firm was expanded to six partners in 1959 and renamed HPP Hentrich, Petschnigg & Partners. Over the following decades it became one of the most prolific and best-known architectural firms in Germany.
In 1962 Petschnigg was granted entry to the Corps Marchia Brünn branch of the Kösener Corps in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. He was named "Honorary Senator" of TU Graz in 1977, and in 1982 the government of West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
awarded him the Federal Cross of Merit – a particular honour for Petschnigg, as he was Austrian. In 1988 he became an honorary member of the Engineers' and Architects' Association of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
.
Petschnigg's particular passion was the maintenance of memorials. He also restored old buildings, including the Burg Pyrmont castle in the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
, in which he spent his final years, living with his wife as the castle's keeper. He died in 1997.
Works
Petschnigg produced his most important works as a partner of the HPP firm that he had founded with Helmut Hentrich. These included the headquarters of VEBAVEBA
VEBA AG was a German energy company. VEBA was founded in 1929 as a holding company owned by the state of Prussia, and was privatized in 1965. VEBA became a part of E.ON in 2000....
(now E.ON
E.ON
E.ON AG, marketed with an interpunct as E•ON, is the holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The name comes from the Greek word aeon which means eternity....
) in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, the Ministry of the Interior for North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, the RWI Essen
RWI Essen
The RWI Essen, full German name Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e.V., is one of the leading economic research institutions in Germany...
research centre, the TÜV Rheinland
TÜV Rheinland
TÜV Rheinland is a global provider of technical, safety and certification services. Originally called the Dampfkessel-Überwachungs-Vereine , TÜV Rheinland was founded in 1872 and has its headquarters in Cologne, Germany...
building in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, the Ruhr University Bochum, and the Europa-Center
Europa-Center
The Europa-Center is a building complex on the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, notable for its high-rise tower. During the 1960s it became one of the iconic sights of West Berlin, along with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Further reading
- Joachim Lübcke, in memoriam Hubert Petschnigg, Trier, 1998, in Märkerbrief no. 83.
- Hermann Kruse, Kösener Corpslisten 1996, Gesamtverzeichnis 1919-1996, Nuremberg-Fürth, 1998.