Fries, Johann Graf#

b. Mulhouse (France), May 19, 1719, d. Bad Voeslau (Lower Austria; probably suicide), June 19, 1785, banker, industrialist; father of Imperial Count Moritz Christian Fries. During the War of Austrian Succession brought the English subsidies to Vienna. For his services he was granted the privilege to found a fustian factory in Fridau (Lower Austria) in 1751. In 1754 founded a factory for the production of silk goods in Oberdoebling (Vienna) and a factory for the production of woollen goods in Bohemia. From 1752-1776 delivered Maria Theresia dollars to the Orient and headed the imperial retail trade in products of the mining industry from 1759-1783. He founded a wholesale business and a bank, and bought the Voeslau estate in 1761. Commissioned P. Hetzendorf von Hohenberg to build a palace on Josefsplatz in Vienna in 1783/84 (Pallavicini Palace).

Literature#