Weinbauschule Klosterneuburg

One of the oldest viticultural institutes in the world, it was opened in 1860 in Klosterneuburg (Lower Austria) on the initiative of Eduard Schwäger Freiherr von Hohenbruck (1800-1876), vice-director of the Imperial and Royal Agricultural Society. Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft Wien, opened in the monastery Klosterneuburg as the "Niedere Stiftsweinbauschule". The head of the school was the prelate of the monastery, Adam Schreck, and the first director was August-Wilhelm Freiherr von Babo (1827-1894), the inventor of the Klosterneuburg must scale (see must weight). The institute was elevated to the status of a state educational institution in 1874 and viticultural technical schools were founded in Gumpoldskirchen, Krems, Mistelbach and Retz. In 1863 it was taken over by the province of Lower Austria. In 1870 the Oenochemical Experimental Station was established (alongside the viticultural school as an independent institution) and Leonhard Roesler (1839-1910) was entrusted with its management. The next thirty years were (also) marked by the fight against phylloxera and mildew.

The Emerich Ráthay era

After the retirement of Baron von Babo due to illness, Emerich Ráthay (1845-1900) succeeded him as director of the educational institution in 1894. After his death, Leopold Weigert (1851-1916) took over as his successor. In 1902, the institute was reorganised and there was only one director, who was responsible for both...