Alexander Conze in Vienna (1869-1877)

Without reservation, Alexander Conze (1831-1914) can be called the father of Classical Archaeology in Austria. He was the decisive personality for the founding of this academic discipline in Austria in the latter half of the 19th century, and his influence on the field can still be felt today. His approach to archaeology was an all-encompassing one and he showed a widespread understanding of the subject. As a scholar, Conze`s work, especially Vorlegeblätter für archaeologische Uebungen (1869-1877), was used extensively throughout Europe for decades; and his publications on ancient art, such as Die attischen Grabreliefs I-IV (1893-1922), is still of vital importance for scholarly literature even nowadays. His contribution to the research on the archaeology of ancient Roman in the Austro-Hungarian Empire was also substantial. In addition, he was also the founder of Archaeologisch- epigraphische Mittheilungen aus Oesterreich, the first scholarly journal of its kind for Austrian archaeology. As a university teacher, Conze had left his imprint on generations of students. He had planned and assembled an archaeological collection of artifacts and plaster casts that served for teaching purposes. The Institute for Classical Archaeology and Ancient Studies - the "Archaeologisch-Epigraphisches Seminar" - at the University of Vienna was founded on his initiative. As a field excavator, he was one of earliest figures who had established the tradition of Austrian excavations in foreign countries at an early point in time. As a communicator and a proponent of archaeology, he went beyond his scholarly confines like the University of Vienna and the Academy of Sciences into the public realm, as testified by his numerous texts for press and his public lectures that created public awareness for his cause. Despite his immense importance, it is surprising that a biographical study of Alexander Conze has never been written. This proposed project will tackle this desideratum. Setting in front of the backdrop of contemporary university and research politics as well as the history of archaeology and classical studies, works of various natures written by or about him will be scrutinized to fulfill this task. In addition, this project will also contribute to a process of self-reflection in Austrian archaeology today. In this respect, Conze is still of vital importance for questions of our current archaeological research; his fundamental accomplishments are therefore the leitmotif of this analysis, in that, it will show, how this basis has shaped our contemporary discipline.

At the starting point of this project was the research and acquisition of the original archive material necessary. As follow, it was possible to name 29 archives, which had official documents and in particular correspondence from and to Alexander Conze that we acquired for the project. These have been over the project period - taking in consideration the complete publishing of the project results - to the most part transcribed and for some of them summaries created. Soon after that, it was possible to publish in detail smaller articles about Alexander Conzes accomplishments for the Archeology. Those, returned a lot of insight in the scholarly network that Conze had built, even from the time of his studies, in which he was best connected and steady used the contacts for his purposes. To go deeper in this proven subject was a Conference named "Netzwerke der Altertumwissenschaften im 19. Jahrhundert" organized, its contributions being published in 2016. Parallel to the collection and evaluation of the archive materials, we put together a complete summary of nearly 300 publishings of Alexander Conze that were complete compiled in digital form. These reflect Conzes scholar work, as well as his effort to promote his archeological findings in newspaper articles and public work. The main part of the archive materials are a huge number of Alexander Conzes letters, with a lot of correspondence partners from which well known names like Theodor Mommsen, Heinrich Schliemann, Wilhelm von Bodes and Rudolf von Eitelberger, which offer us a direct image of Conzes thinking and work method, that cover all fields of his activity referring to his speciality archeology. During his professorship at the Vienna University between other outstanding Conzes projects is the building of the archeological part of the Collection of the Arts Academy Vienna, the publishing of the so called presentation papers ("Vorlegeblätter") which were used as teaching show material at the University classes, the preparing work for the publishing project "Corpus der attischen Grabreliefs", the implementation of archaeological expeditions and excavations on the island Samothrake with two following publishings, the publication "Roemische Bildwerke einheimischen Fundorts in Oesterreich" which contained the results of his research trips in the provinces of the Austrian monarchy, and finally the foundation of a own Institute at the University of Vienna, the "Archaeologisch- epigraphisches Seminar", furthermore the first relevant specialty magazine in Austria, the " Archeologisch-epigraphische Mitteilungen aus Oesterreich". These mentioned fields are the subject of the project publication in work, conducted by the project leader, that will contain also writings from several coworkers, as well as a part edition of selected archive materials.