Häusslerowie. Dzieje rodziny krakowskich lutników

Abstrakt

THE HAUSSLERS HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF CRACOVIAN VIOLIN MAKERS

Christian and Gustaw Häussler were German violin makers, who through 109 years long relationship with Krakow made an indubitable contribution to the development of Polish and European musical culture. Christian Häussler (1802–1867) came to Krakow from Adorf in Saxony. He was a violin maker and a trumpet master as well as marksmen king (1866–1867). He ran a workshop first in Szpitalna St. 80, then in Gołębia St. 4, and in a later period until his death, in Floriańska St. 29. Clarinets made and signed by Häussler are to be found in: Museum of the 600th Anniversary of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa as well as in the Marlow Sigal collection (the US). Some clarinets signed Christian Häussler in Krakau were in the possession of the Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań. Nephew and heir to Christian’s workshop was Gustaw Häussler (1850–1940), arrived from Lübben (Brandenburg), who ran the workshop first in Floriańska St. 21, then in Floriańska St. 22. Probably he as well supplied the Jasna Góra orchestra with musical instruments. In 1887 he received a bronze medal at the Exhibition of Industry in Krakow for 6 violins made according to the Stradivari model, and for clarinets and flutes. in 1894 at the National Exhibition in Lvov he was awarded a gold medal for the following six instruments as well as for the correction of old Italian instruments (P. Guarneri and N. Gagliano). He gained European recognition as corrector of instruments. He repaired the violin of S. Barcewicz (Gaudani’s instrument), M. Karłowicz in 1899 – repair and correction of Groblicz’s violin, P. de Sarasate, B. Hubermann, J. Pulikowski and O. Ševčik. In 1885 he was acclaimed by the Lvov musicians as the greatest living violin maker in Europe. In 1935 Häussler participated in the Violin Making Exhibition in Krakow. He was the inventor of special violin making pliers (spring vice). He set the size of violin boards depending on the type of wood used for the making of the instrument. He was occupied also with fixing the violin mensure. He conducted the expertise of musical instruments. Violins signed Gustavus Häussler Craconiensis me fecit 1885 are to be found in the National Museum collection in Bratislava. Among his students are W. Baczyński, J. Zając, H. Skórczyński and P. Kubas. A long-standing instrumentary (in the years 1898– 1913) was Antoni Ostafin. Christian and Gustaw Häussler were buried at the Rakowicki cemetery in Krakow.