Board Members, elected

President

Dr. Felizitas SCHREIER

Vice-President

Hofrat i. R. Dr. Veronika BIRKE

Treasurer

Rosemarie Lehner

Secretary-Registrar

Dr. Georg Becker

Board Members without portfolio

Hannelore Dogl
Markus Landerer

Auditors, elected

Dr. Gerhard Scherzer
Prof. Mag. Ewald Königstein
Min.R. i.R. Dr. Waltraud Balkanyi

Advisors, appointed

Dr. Heide Buschhausen, art historian
HR i.R. Dr. Eva-Maria Höhle, President of Europa Nostra Austria and Board Member of "Schatzhaus Österreich"Chief Conservation Officer (retired) of Federal Monuments Office
Dr. Eva Klimek, Partner in kultek media ltd., President of "Schatzhaus Österreich"
RA DDr. Gebhard Klötzl
Dr. Franz Sattlecker, Managing Director, Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Mario Schwarz, Institute of Art History, University Vienna
Mag. Sandra Tretter, MAS
Mag. Peter Weinhäupl, Chairman of the Board, Gustav Klimt. Wien 1900-Privatstiftung / Klimt-Foundation
RA Dr. Georg Zanger, Attorney at Law

Honorary Members

Prof. Christian M. Nebehay †
Prof. Gusti Wolf, Kammerschauspielerin †
Prof. Dr. Koichi KOSHI, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Em. Prof. Department of Aesthetics and Art History, Tokio, Japan
Dipl.-Ing. Herbert Rasinger, Founding Chairman, 1990/2000
Prof. Dr. Hilde Sochor, Kammerschauspielerin †
Gustav Zimmermann Sen. (grandson of Gustav Klimt and Mizzi Zimmermann)
Horst Zimmermann (grandson of Gustav Klimt and Mizzi Zimmermann)
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Alessandra Comini University Distinguished Professor of Art History Emerita, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Tx, USA
Dorothea Drlik, Bezirksvorst.-Stv.a.D. (ex District mayor deputy, Vienna District Hietzing)
Comm. Prof. Gerhard Tötschinger (author and historian) †
Ökonomierat Prof. Ing. Herbert Eipeldauer (senior partner, Eipeldauer Gardens and Tree Nursery) †
OStR Prof. Mag. Gerhard Weissenbacher (historian, author of "Built in Hietzing")
Gustav Huber (grandson of Gustav Klimt and Consuela Camilla, Huber)
Peter Zimpel (grandson of Klimt's sister Johanna Zimpel, née Klimt))

Milestone Achievements of The Gustav Klimt Memorial Society

Before 1998 Description of Klimt's studio e.g. in Japanese travel books; the place is used by a Viennese school; the owner, Republic of Austria, plans to sell; impending destruction of Klimt Villa and impending new building development on the ca 5.500 m2 garden land.

1998 Aug., Villa building plans retrieved; definitive proof of studio rooms being preserved and existing within the neo-baroque villa of 1923. --- Nov., Austrian TV „Treasure House Austria" - followed by very first opening for the public, at temperature of minus 15 ^oC, 450 visitors await permission to enter the empty former studio rooms.

1999 Jan., The Gustav Klimt Memorial Society (abbr. Klimt Society) founded. Purpose: Preservation as Klimt memory place. Press conference, presentation of magazine "STEINE SPRECHEN", Nr.112, subject Klimt Villa (Ed. Österr. Gesellschaft für Denkmal- u. Ortsbildpflege); --- Summer, first big-scale "Klimt Garden Party". --- Nov., Press conference of ARCH-Foundation (Francesca von Habsburg) on site, as "Support to Save Klimt Villa".

2000 Sept., the school permits Klimt Society to open "Klimt Studio and Garden". First Presentation to the Public of the Studio (studio room only) by Klimt Society ("Gustav Klimt. Last Studio, 1911/12 - 1918") on the occasion of exhibition at Belvedere, "Klimt, Painter of Women" (20^th Sept. 2000 - 7^th Jan. 2001). --- Nov., first public discussion about future use of Klimt Villa, held at District Museum Hietzing, upon initiative of Klimt Society. --- By Federal Law, Klimt Villa is included in the List of Historic (Federal) Buildings, i.e. the Villa remains a building owned by the Federal Republic, because of the historic and cultural value of a building or its contents. Klimt Villa, however, is not preserved by decree (of Federal Monuments Protection), it is simply listed and thus under the jurisdiction of the sovereign state (National Council of Parliament), ownership being represented by the Federal Ministry of Economy, represented by Burghauptmannschaft Österreich (Historic Buildings Management Austria). --- The school (HTL-Spengergasse) moves out.

2001 Second, enlarged presentation of studio, by Klimt Society. Policy of selling Villa and ca 5.500 m2 land is intensively pursued by the Ministry: Public tender, in Dec., regarding lease or sale. Klimt Society is deputy member of the Jury. 2002 spring, Jury cannot recommend or agree to any of the submitted projects. --- June, illegal demolition of the small neighbouring house, a garden cottage authentic from Klimt's time, in Klimt's garden --- Historic Buildings Management Austria grants temporary lease to Klimt Society, to use the Klimt place and open it to the public. Studio is open to the public (23^rd Oct. 2002 - 23^rd Feb. 2003) on the occasion of exhibition at Belvedere "Gustav Klimt - Landscapes" --- Another publication of magazine "STEINE SPRECHEN" Nr. 124/125 (Buschhausen), focusing on land and architecture around Klimt Villa and garden.

2003 Renewed negotiations prompted by Ministry for sale of Villa and land. Klimt Society cooperates with Österr. Baukulturstiftung (Austrian Foundation of Building Culture).

2004 Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Federal Ministry of Finance sell "Klimt place" for the best offer (i.e. highest offer, to the project development company, Wien-Moskau-GmbH), on the proviso of sovereign consent. --- July, Klimt Society succeeds in preventing the Republic from selling, by writing an appeal to each member of Parliament.

2005 May, third presentation of studio, by Klimt Society, in cooperation with Leopold Museum --- Book publication by Klimt Society "Zu Besuch bei Klimt / A Visit to Klimt in Vienna" Kijiro Ohta, published by Bibliothek der Provinz. --- Sept., Citizen Assembly (by statute § 104c WStV) at the Hietzing (13^th) District Government Office, subject "Impending Sale of Klimt Place" --- Oct., first participation at Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums) annual event of Austrian ORF/TV (Radio/TV), 610 visitors counted.

2006 Klimt Society opens the studio to the public, Easter to October, each Sunday and holiday and upon request. Special guided tours, cooperation with travel agencies for Japanese incoming tourists. Continuation, as in the years before, as host of various events (exhibitions, readings, concerts etc.) During (second) Long Night of Museums, Klimt Villa is virtually overrun. During the year 2006 Klimt Society counts ca 2.500 people visiting Klimt Studio at Feldmühlgasse.

2007 April, Federal Museum Belvedere, Director Dr. Agnes Husslein-Arco, expresses Federal Museum claim; Ministry terminates the temporary lease for Klimt Society by 30^th June 2007. July 2007 Belvedere takes over responsibility for Klimt Villa and land. They remain property of the Republic, Belvedere plans a Klimt site.

Stage 1, Sept. 2000 to June 2007

"Gustav Klimt's Last Studio" is opened and managed by the Klimt Society, numerous events being hosted and guided tours offered , e.g. readings, lectures, garden parties, excursions, concerts, also exhibitions of works by Austrian contemporary artists curated by Veronika Birke, e.g. H. S. Burgis, paintings; R. Egerth and G. Lebzelter, graphic art; Roman Scheidl, TAMAMU - Tanz, Malerei, Musik (Dance-Painting-Music) and M. Schneider, Installation).

2007/2008 Klimt place is closed; Ministry revokes the Belvedere take-over. Belvedere plan was a complete "reconstruction" - i.e. copy of the original small garden cottage Klimt had rented, i.e. demolition of "villa"; this plan meets severe objection from Historic Buildings Management Austria, from District Government and from the public. As of Jan. 2008 the Ministry of Economy "re-evaluates" the Klimt place at Feldmühlgasse.

July 2008 The Federal Ministry (i.e. the Republic of Austria) hands over, on a long-term lease, all of the "Klimt place" (Klimt Villa plus two buildings and all of the garden) to Kuratorium für künstlerische und heilende Pädagogik (Trust of Artistic and Healing Education), President Dr. Elisabeth Rössel Majdan). --- In Dec. 2008 this long-term lease commences; Historic Buildings Management Austria and Comenius Institute (Care for the Handicapped), c/o Trust, renovate the two bungalows (built and used by the school until 2000, situated next to Klimt Villa). --- June 2009 Festive opening ceremony, Comenius Institute starts operating a Care Centre and Workshop for the Handicapped at Feldmühlgasse 11.

As of June 2009 the building "Villa Werner-Klein, 1923 / Klimt Villa / Klimt Atelier" is defined as Federal Monument protected by statute (§2a): „As a basis for all further planning and ideas for use, Federal Monuments Protection-Vienna Office undertakes detailed investigations into history of the building, quality of structure etc. On principle, the responsible parties to the project wish to define clearly the section cuts of the original Klimt-Studio cottage-building, on the one hand, and the neo-baroque villa on top, built 1923, on the other hand."

13^th Sept. 2010 Press Conference at Feldmühlgasse 11, "Revitalisation of Klimt Villa" with responsible parties, State Secretary of Federal Ministry of Economy, Director of Historic Buildings Management, Project Director, Federal Monuments Protection-Vienna Office, Chairman of District Government, President of Trust of Artistic and Healing Education and the architect in charge, announcing the facts: Revitalisation of "Klimt Villa" (Euro 1,8 million funded by Federal Ministry of Economy), then new approach towards a museum mode called museum in progress, opening in 2012, Klimt Year, commemorating the artist's 150^th birthday.

28th Oct. 2010 The Gustav Klimt Memorial Society presents, in cooperation with Federal Monuments Protection-Vienna Office (at Hofburg): "Visualisation" of Gustav Klimt's Last Studio, offering a digital reconstruction of the studio room and the salon, as film clip (cf. two b/w photos by Moritz Nähr, 1915/18), www.klimt.at

15^th March 2011 Information evening, at Hietzing (13^th) District Museum, hosted by Klimt Society , subject: Renovation of Klimt Villa and presentation of Klimt's studio, opening scheduled July 2012.

2011/2012 Responsible commissioning parties, Federal Ministry of Economy, represented by Historic Buildings Management Austria, in cooperation with Federal Monuments Protection-Vienna Office conclude the renovation of Klimt Villa historic building of 1923. Interior, i.e. exhibition of Klimt's studio rooms, is much debated and reason of controversy. Klimt Society succeeds in promoting the fundamental principle, i.e. reconstruction/copies of interior decoration of two rooms documented by Moritz Nähr photos and Klimt documentation in all ground floor rooms of the Villa.

30^th September 2012 European Heritage Day - History(ies) in Monuments , "KLIMT ATELIER" festive opening by all responsible parties together with Hietzing District, Leopold Museum and Klimt Society.

Stage 2, 2007 to 2012 completed, "Klimt's Studio" memory place successfully established. The Gustav Klimt Memorial Society remains active to pursue two main goals - first, documentation of Klimt's address, with heritage milestones 1911-1918-1938-1945-2000-2012 to the present, and second, Klimt's garden to be reconstructed as far as it is practical to do so.