Altertumsvereine

Historical Associations, regional or local organisations founded in the 19th century for the purpose of preserving and describing monuments and constructing museums. They soon turned to devoting themselves to local history, regional studies and established publications. Associations established in 1811 in Graz for the preservation of the collections of Archduke Johann ("Joanneum"), 1823 in Innsbruck, 1833 in Linz and 1834 in Salzburg for the purpose of founding a museum. The historical associations of Carinthia and Styria arose in 1849/1850 out of the "Historischer Verein für Innerösterreich" ("Historical Association of Inner Austria") which had existed from 1843. In Vienna the "Altertumsverein zu Wien" ("Historical Association of Vienna"), founded in 1853, achieved the greatest importance (since 1920 it has been called the "Verein für Geschichte der Stadt Vienna", or "History Association of the City of Vienna"). An association for area studies was established for Lower Austria in 1864. The following organisations achieved great importance: "Numismatische Gesellschaft in Wien" (Numismatic Society in Vienna [1869]), the"K. k. Heraldische Gesellschaft" (Imperial Heraldry Society) Adler (1870), the "Anthropologische Gesellschaft in Wien" (Anthropological Society in Vienna [1870]), the "Gesellschaft für die Geschichte des Protestantismus in Österreich" (Society for the History of Protestantism in Austria [1879]) and the "Verein Carnuntum" (Carnuntum Association [1884]).

Further reading: J. Schwerdfeger, Die historischen Vereine Wiens, 1908; K. Lechner, 100 Jahre Verein für Landeskunde von Niederösterreich. und Wien, 1964.