Carry Hauser (1895-1985)

Carry Hauser was born as Karl Maria Hauser on the 16th of February 1895 in Vienna.

His mother, a teacher, had taught Carry and his elder brother Heinz at home where his life was early influenced by the cultural environment. Carry Hauser was educated at the Schottengymnasium and between 1905 -1910 at the Viennese "Graphische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt" (graphic institution of teaching and experimentation) and at the "Kunstgewerbeschule" (school of applied arts).

His work as a painter, illustrator, theatrical designer and author was interrupted by World War I. Carry Hauser volunteered in 1914 for the military service but left the war as a pacifist. After the war he lived in Vienna and Passau where he became a member of the artist`s group “Der Fels” and from 1925 to 1938 a member of the Viennese art-association “Hagenbund”, whose president he became in 1927/1928.

Due to his political attitude Hauser was banned by the National Socialists from working and exhibiting after 1938. In 1939 Carry Hauser moved to Zurich/Switzerland and planned to continue his journey to Melbourne/Australia where he was offered a professorship. The outbreak of World War II forced him unfortunately to stay in Switzerland, separated from his family. During this time he worked mainly in the literary field. His Jewish wife, Gertrude Herzog-Hauser, a well-known classical philologist, had to emigrate to the Netherlands where she managed to survive with her son, hidden in a cloister.

After the end of the war Carry Hauser and his family returned to Vienna. The artist participated in the efforts to culturally rebuild Austria. He became the P.E.N. Club's general secretary and honorary president of the "Neue Hagenbund". As a painter, he gained international reputation. He kept working in literature writing for several newspapers and magazines, mainly about art and was honored by various public commissions of the City of Vienna.  

Carry Hauser died in 1985 in Rekawinkel and has been buried in the cemetery at Hietzing.