Distilleries provided the foundation for the second wealthiest family in Vienna, allowing August Lederer to amass one of the most significant private collections of Gustav Klimt works. Born in 1857 in Česká Lípa, he integrated his commercial success in Cisleithania with a central role in the patronage of the Vienna Secession movement.
Industrial Empire and Patronage
Lederer established a business empire primarily focused on distilleries, which secured his position as an industrialist of major standing. In 1892, he married Serena Pulitzer. The family’s residence reflected their stature and artistic commitment, with furnishings entrusted to Eduard Josef Wimmer-Wisgrill and produced by the Wiener Werkstätte, founded by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser.
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The Lederer collection became the most important private assembly of works by Gustav Klimt. The familial connection to the painter was profound; Klimt painted the Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer between 1914 and 1916. The family also maintained a relationship with Egon Schiele, who spent Christmas in 1912 with the Lederers in Györ. During that time, Schiele produced several drawings and paintings of their son, Erich.
Confiscation and Post-War Restitution
Following the Nazi annexation of Austria, the Lederer collection was among the first to be seized by the Gestapo, with involvement from the so-called Monument protection agency and Vugesta. Much of the property was moved to Immendorf Castle, where significant portions were destroyed by fire in 1945. Subsequent legal battles led to partial restitution, including the 1999 return of six Schiele works and a Gentile Bellini painting. A 2013 claim for the Beethoven Frieze, which Lederer had acquired in 1915, was rejected by Austrian authorities.
Fast facts
- Born: 1857, Česká Lípa
- Died: 1936, Vienna
- Spouse: Serena Pulitzer
- Burial site: Hietzing Cemetery
- Citizenship: Hungary, Austria, Cisleithania
- Primary Occupation: Industrialist and Art Collector
- Notable Acquisition: Beethoven Frieze (1915)
Questions readers ask
What was the source of the Lederer family wealth?
Their fortune was built primarily through an empire of distilleries.
What happened to the art collection after 1938?
The collection was seized by the Nazis and largely destroyed in a fire at Immendorf Castle in 1945.
