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Michael Neurath (1829 – 1910)

Summary
Michael Neurath was a 19th‑century entrepreneur from the Austro‑Hungarian Empire. Born in what is now Slovakia, he established a mixed‑goods trading business in Vienna and lived through a period of intense political change, industrialisation, and the rise of nationalism in Central Europe. His family life was extensive; he married Leontine Helene Reiss and had fifteen children, many of whom lived through the upheavals of World War I and the interwar years. Neurath died in 1910 in Baden bei Wien, and was buried at the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna.

Early Life

  • 1829 – Birth
    Michael Neurath was born in the village of Borský Svätý Jur, located in present‑day Slovakia. At the time of his birth the region was part of the Kingdom of Hungary within the Austrian Empire.

  • 1848 – Youth in Pozsony
    At age 14, Neurath was recorded as a son residing in Pozsony (today Bratislava), the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary. The year 1848 was marked by revolutionary movements across Europe, including the Hungarian Revolution against Habsburg rule.

Marriage and Family

  • 16 November 1856 – Marriage
    Neurath married Leontine Helene Reiss in Mikulov, North Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). The couple would go on to have fifteen children:
Child Birth–Death
Heinrich 1857–1942
Gustav Herbert 1859–1902
Berta 1861–1931
Emilie 1863–1941
Sophie 1865–1866
Ludwig Neurath von Neudenegg 1866–1941
Clementine 1867–1889
Hermine 1867–1942
Rudolf 1869–1947
Eduard 1870–1944
Isidor 1872–1942
Friedrich 1872–1953

Professional Life

  • 8 June 1861 – Company Registration
    Neurath registered a commercial enterprise under his name at the Vienna Commercial Court. The registration took place in Wien (Vienna), the capital of the Austrian Empire, which was rapidly becoming a centre for commerce and industry during the mid‑19th century.

  • 1881 – Business Operations
    At Taborstraße 17, Vienna II, Neurath operated as a Bermischtwarenhändler (mixed goods dealer). This role involved trading in a variety of consumer and wholesale products, a common occupation for merchants seeking to capitalize on Vienna’s growing urban market.

  • 1881 – Residence
    The same address, Taborstraße 17, was also listed as Neurath’s residence in 1881.

Later Years and Death

  • 4 September 1910 – Death
    Michael Neurath died at the age of 81 in Baden bei Wien (Baden, Lower Austria). The cause was recorded as old age, marasmus, and cardiac paralysis. His death took place at Franzensstraße 9 in Baden bei Wien.

  • 4 September 1910 – Final Residence
    On the day of his death, Neurath was also registered at Große Schiffgasse 12 in Vienna.

  • 6 September 1910 – Burial
    Neurath was interred at the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna. His burial plot is identified as Tor 1, Group 19, Row 57, Tomb No. 001A.

Historical Context

Michael Neurath’s life spanned a transformative era for Central Europe:

  • Austro‑Hungarian Dual Monarchy (1867–1918) – After the 1867 Ausgleich, the Austrian Empire became the dual monarchy of Austria‑Hungary. Vienna remained a cultural and commercial hub.
  • Industrialisation – The late 19th century saw rapid industrial growth, urbanisation, and the expansion of railway networks, facilitating trade for merchants like Neurath.
  • Nationalism – Ethnic and national movements rose across the empire, culminating in tensions that would later contribute to World War I.
  • World War I (1914–1918) – Neurath did not live to see the war, but several of his children (e.g., Heinrich, Ludwig, Rudolf) would have experienced the conflict and its aftermath.

These broader developments shaped the economic opportunities available to Neurath and influenced the lives of his descendants, many of whom survived into the mid‑20th century.

Sources

  • Birth, marriage, and death records from regional archives in Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Austria.
  • Vienna Commercial Court registration documents (1861).
  • Census and residential records for Taborstraße 17, Vienna II (1881) and Große Schiffgasse 12, Vienna (1910).
  • Zentralfriedhof burial register (6 September 1910).