100 years ago, in 1925, Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein, then residing on the bel étage of the Schönborn-Batthyány Palace, commissioned Moravian born Jewish architect Paul Engelmann, a pupil of Adolf Loos, to design a home for her. Soon afterwards, her brother Ludwig Wittgenstein joined the project and quickly assumed leadership, fundamentally transforming the original plans. From 1925 to 1928, Palais Schönborn became the hub for the planning and subsequent construction of Palais Stonborough, now known as House Wittgenstein. Schönborn-Batthyány also played host to Margaret Stonborough's salon, with concerts, art collections and intellectual debates featuring leading figures of the time: Cambridge mathematician Frank Ramsey and the Rosé Quartet of Vienna Philharmonic musicians were among the guests. It was also the location of the first meeting of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Moritz Schlick, which paved the way for Wittgenstein's contact with the Vienna Circle and his return to philosophy in 1929 after the completion of ‘his house’.
To celebrate this landmark, and to launch an anniversary programme leading up to the centenary of Haus Wittgenstein in 2028, the Wittgenstein Initiative is delighted to announce WITTGENSTEIN WEEK, a series of expert talks and an exhibition of rarely-seen photographs, paintings and documents exploring the Wittgenstein's relationship with architecture and design. Wittgenstein Week will reflect and enrich our understanding of the unique cultural milieu of one of Europe’s most influential families.
