DOI Heft:
No. 151 (October, 1905)
DOI Artikel:Levetus, A. S.: The state schools for lace-making in Austria
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20713#0039
Austrian Lace Schools
is composed of two nations, the Czechs and the
Germans ; the women of the former make reseau
lace, the latter guipure, so that whichever kind of
lace happens to be in vogue, Bohemia can supply
it; the women learn from one another, and are kept
in fairly constant employment. In former times
the profits were reaped by the middleman, but
since the State has taken the industry under its
control he has been practically eliminated and the
earnings of the workers have consequently in-
creased. It must be remembered that the women
are not competent to regulate matters of trade for
themselves, and before the State stepped in they
were often obliged to barter the lace which they
made in winter for the necessaries of life and
materials for work. In the course of time the
general dealer became a, lace merchant; for the
women got into debt, to discharge which they had
to make lace at starvation wages, the middleman
reaping all the benefit. The State manages things
otherwise; and also prevents competition between
one Crown Land and another by regulating the
prices.
Of late years the lace industry in Holland,
Belgium, France, and Austria has been in a
flourishing condition, which seems likely to con-
tinue. In Austria the industry received a great
impetus at the beginning of the present century,
when the examples exhibited at the Paris Exhibi-
tion surprised all by the beauty of their designs
and the method employed in carrying them out,
which earned for them the Grand Prix. At St. Louis
also a like honour was bestowed on Austrian lace.
The government, encouraged by these results,
forthwith took steps to regulate the industry, and
provide suitable teachers; for it was at once seen
that here was a means of helping the workers. But
it was first of all necessary that the teachers should
be trained, and the question was, who should train
them ? For this purpose a few good lace-makers
were induced to come to Vienna to teach the
future teachers. The Central Spitzen-Curs at
Vienna became the executive of the department.
The success of the undertaking led the authorities
to take further steps. Branch schools were estab-
lished in the different districts peculiar to lace
making. Seeing in this a new means of subsis-
tence, they established schools in other districts.
AUSTRIAN CROCHET COLLAR
DESIGNED BY FRAU SCHONAWECK
EXECUTED IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS
is composed of two nations, the Czechs and the
Germans ; the women of the former make reseau
lace, the latter guipure, so that whichever kind of
lace happens to be in vogue, Bohemia can supply
it; the women learn from one another, and are kept
in fairly constant employment. In former times
the profits were reaped by the middleman, but
since the State has taken the industry under its
control he has been practically eliminated and the
earnings of the workers have consequently in-
creased. It must be remembered that the women
are not competent to regulate matters of trade for
themselves, and before the State stepped in they
were often obliged to barter the lace which they
made in winter for the necessaries of life and
materials for work. In the course of time the
general dealer became a, lace merchant; for the
women got into debt, to discharge which they had
to make lace at starvation wages, the middleman
reaping all the benefit. The State manages things
otherwise; and also prevents competition between
one Crown Land and another by regulating the
prices.
Of late years the lace industry in Holland,
Belgium, France, and Austria has been in a
flourishing condition, which seems likely to con-
tinue. In Austria the industry received a great
impetus at the beginning of the present century,
when the examples exhibited at the Paris Exhibi-
tion surprised all by the beauty of their designs
and the method employed in carrying them out,
which earned for them the Grand Prix. At St. Louis
also a like honour was bestowed on Austrian lace.
The government, encouraged by these results,
forthwith took steps to regulate the industry, and
provide suitable teachers; for it was at once seen
that here was a means of helping the workers. But
it was first of all necessary that the teachers should
be trained, and the question was, who should train
them ? For this purpose a few good lace-makers
were induced to come to Vienna to teach the
future teachers. The Central Spitzen-Curs at
Vienna became the executive of the department.
The success of the undertaking led the authorities
to take further steps. Branch schools were estab-
lished in the different districts peculiar to lace
making. Seeing in this a new means of subsis-
tence, they established schools in other districts.
AUSTRIAN CROCHET COLLAR
DESIGNED BY FRAU SCHONAWECK
EXECUTED IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS