Franz de Paula Augustin Wirer, later ennobled than knights of saving brook (* 1771 Korneuburg (Lower Austria), "† 30. March 1844, Vienna), was a yard physician at the Viennese yard and body physician of emperor Franz I., as well as teacher at the Viennese medical school and rector of the Viennese university.

Wirer used the welfare effect of the brine and justified by the structure of the first Austrian brine health spa the world-wide reputation of bath Ischl.

Founder of the saltwater bath cure in Ischl

Ore duke Ludwig, a brother of emperor Franz I., spent already since 1804 each summer in Ischl. The term of a proper "cure" was there however only in the beginnings. Since about 1820 was brine cures also well-known for rheumatism tables illnesses and very desired. In Germany, France and England the first mineral public swimming pools established, above all North Sea baths brought best results. Whereupon one tried in Austria to replace the sea water by brine since this has a similar mineral content as the sea water, the Salzgehalt (about 27 per cent) of the brine the individual medical case to be however better adapted could.

A local physician, Dr. Josef had analyzed the water rich at minerals, with remarkable sound sequences systematically with saltworks workers, who suffered from skin diseases and Rheumatismus, by regulation of saltwater baths had used and its realizations had published. Interested in these results, Dr. Wirer, a former army surgeon, now teacher to the Viennese medical school and body physician of emperor Franz Ith, late rector of the Viennese university travels, 1821 with some physician colleagues by the salt chamber property after Ischl. There saltworks existed, with the brine as waste product resulted. The welfare strength of the Ischler salt springs was already at emperors Maximilians time well-known. Wirer comes thereupon on the idea to develop in Ischl a saltwater bath particularly since Ischl has to exhibit an extraordinarily beautiful situation and a good climate (only disadvantage was the far distance to Vienna). Only by the reputation of Wirer the break-through succeeds.

Wirer develops the project from then on systematically. It publicises an entireness therapy, according to that the medical healing is substantially on mental lively and lively relaxation dependent and strives for the favour emperor house first worries it about the gastronomische infrastructure. Still in the year 1821 it gets for example the Konditor Zauner from Vienna after Ischl, since such could not be missing for imperial guests, and operates the "Wirerkeller".

1822 leave then the first forty famous personalities, that try saltwater baths out to Wirer. These reported "glad feeling of a re+born in their chest" and drove naturally according to Mundpropaganda.1823 finally create Wirer together with the first Austrian institute for saltwater bath. Wirer and introduced now brine baths as therapy means into their medical practices and sent their patients after Ischl to the cure.

The call Ischls spreads now in almost racing speed in Europeanalready 1823 is already 10,000 to Ischl to have come. As the first of the Viennese yard came the brother of emperor Franz I., ore duke Rudolf (cardinal - archbishop of pupils and protection patron of Ludwig van Beethoven), in order to see, "whether at the thing somewhat to is." On 9 September 1827 completely Ischl celebrated its reorganization of the ore duke Franz Karl and the ore duchess Sophie, whose marriage was still childless (five abortions), recommended Wirer such a brine cure. The pair visited Ischl thereupon since 1827 regularly. The cures of several years were apparent very successful. The ore duchess bore in the consequence four sons, as first 1830 the later emperor Franz Joseph I. (he drove starting from 1848 even regularly to Ischl) is until today than "the salt princes" well-known. It was however also kolportiert in Vienna that the new generation was rather not to due to the brine cure, but that the two older sons would come from Gustav from Wasa or Franz duke from realm city.

The entire yard state and the Viennese society (Aristokraten, artist and large middle class) drove now to Ischl, that in shortest time to the imperial health resort were promoted (1853 acquire ore duchess Sophie the former mansion Eltz, into the Metternich many summers in Ischl had spent and leave it to the "emperor mansion", which removes constant summer residence of emperor Franz Josef and empress Elisabeth ("Sisi") in Ischl,).

Soon therefore the saltwater baths had to be removed: 1828 are built the "Wirerspital" by heightening of the Starting from 1830 on Veranlassung Dr. Wirers - and according to his holistic concept - in Ischl a multiplicity of further medically and also different mechanisms are built, which were necessary for the development Ischls for the health resort of the Viennese society or favorable:

• a Dampfbad, a mud bath, a public swimming pool in the Ischl, a "institute for preparing good mountain whey and fresh herb juices", mechanisms for "body gymnastic".
• "the Sophiens Esplanade "(in former times trusting place), with Gedenkstein for ore duchess a Sophie, as well as - on Wirers own costs - various walking ways into and around Ischl.
• also the Kurpark of Ischl is a donation of Dr. Wirer (it specified by contract the fact that the garden was for this purpose certain on eternal times and with buildings may be never occupied; exactly that would have however almost happened from unawareness of this donation 2001).
• a corporation was created, which let a theatre establish at the cross place.
• a post office station, a "institute for infant preservation", a "stranger hospital" and a "spin school" decrease/go back likewise on Wirers initiative.

New high point was 1835 a cure stay of emperor Ferdinand I. of Austria, the oldest son of emperor Franz I. (he still often came even to his resignation 1848 to Ischl).

Due to its earnings/services Wirer is raised into the nobility. 1837/1938 are Wirer Mitinitiator of the "society of the physicians".

Wirer dies of high repute to 30. March 1844 in Vienna. Its burial place is on the central cemetery Vienna (honour graves group 0).

Writings of Wirer

• Ischl and its , Vienna: Bunch, 1826
• to the bath chronicle of Ischl (etc.), Vienna: Mechitaristen, 1836 (continuation of Wirer 1826)
• Ischl and its mental hospitals. A manual for physicians and laymen"Â…, Vienna: Pfautsch, 1842
• Over Vaccination and Revaccination and the true Werth of both (lecture), Vienna: Building Mueller [among other things], 1842

Literature over Wirer

• Sterz, Johann: Who was Dr. Franz Wirer , in: Reports of the Ischler of association for local history, 17), P. 6-8
• Sterz, Johann: Franz Wirer knight v. saving brook (Nekrolog), in: Viennese newspaper, No. 108, 1844
• Constantin of Wurzbach: Biographic encyclopedia of the Kaiserthums Austria, Bd. 57, Vienna: KK yard and state printering, 1889, P. 110-113

Related links

• History of the emperor hot spring bath Ischl

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