!!!Werndl, Josef

b. Steyrdorf (Upper Austria), Feb. 26, 1831, 
d. Steyr (Upper Austria), April 29, 1889, arms manufacturer, 
industrialist. Took over his father's factory for the manufacture of 
rifle components in Steyr in 1855, travelled with his foreman K.  
Holub to the USA in 1863, where he visited arms factories; after his 
return in 1865 he started to construct a breechloader which was named 
after him (W.-Gewehr). Founded an arms factory (Oesterreichische 
Waffenfabriksgesellschaft) in 1869 (became the Steyr-Werke AG in 1923 
and 1934  Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG). When he started manufacturing an 
automatic rifle invented by F. von  Mannlicher, he increased his 
workforce to 10,000 workers and made Steyr the centre of European arms 
manufacture ( guns). In 1884 organised an electricity exhibition in 
Steyr and installed the first electric street lighting. W. also set up 
exemplary social facilities (workers' settlements).

!Literature
M. Pfaffenwimmer, Die wirtschaftliche und soziale 
Entwicklung der "Oe. Waffenfabriksges." Unter der Leitung des 
Gen.-Dir. J. W. 1869-1889, doctoral thesis, Vienna 1985; J. Schuy, Das 
Waffensystem W., 1997.



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