Villa Blumenthal
The “Weißes Rössl“ in Lauffen - and the first prefabricated building in Europe
Walk along the Esplanade and Hasnerallee to the Kaltenbachau, past the covered tennis courts, the Katrin cable railway and the interesting Kaiserjadgstandbild monument on the right side, and the P.K.S. villa on the left side and walk another 250 m to Kaltenbach 153, where a historically interesting building made entirely out of wood and with a tower and Indian ornamentation stands. The Villa Blumenthal was named after its first owner, Berlin playwright and theatre critic Dr. phil. Oskar Blumenthal.
Blumenthal first saw his villa in 1893 at the World Exhibition in Chicago. The unusual thing about this wooden house was the fact that that it could be dismantled and reassembled (three times, allegedly). The world's first prefabricated house reached Bad Ischl in the spring of the following year, where many curious onlookers gathered to witness its arrival. An architect was specially appointed to oversee the dismantling and rebuilding of the house.
From the tower Dr. Blumenthal could see Lauffen and the tavern called the "Weißes Rössl". The tavern’s pretty landlady and hardworking waiter Leopold (see "Leopoldstadt" folder) encouraged Blumenthal to write the comedy "Im weißen Rössl", which he wrote in Bad Ischl. It was published in 1898 and was a huge success in Vienna, with Alexander Girardi in the leading role.
Many years later, composer Ralph Benatzky saw the comedy, and together with other composers, including Robert Stolz, in 1930 wrote the operetta version, which was premiered in Berlin and was equally successful.
Dr. Oskar Blumenthal died in 1917 in Berlin.
