History of the Geological Survey

 

Bust of a man with beard on a pedestal.
Carrara marble bust of Wilhelm Haidinger made by Hannes Gasser.
© Geological Survey of Austria / Andreas Ortag

1849

Foundation of the „k.k. Geologische Reichsanstalt“ by Emperor Franz Joseph on 15th of November.

Wilhelm HAIDINGER (1795–1871) becomes first director.

A street where a large garden and an old palace lie.
Rasumofsky Palace

1852

Removal to Rasumofsky Palace (Rasumofskygasse 23).

Portrait of a man with full beard. Golden, ornate picture frame.
Franz von Hauer, second director. Painting by Hans Canon. Oil on canvas (1885).
© Geological Survey of Austria / Andreas Ortag

1866

Franz von HAUER (1822–1899) becomes second director.

1870

Rasumofsky Palace was aquired by the state.

Of pale marble bust of a man with full beard.
Dionys Stur. Carrara Marbel bust by Josef Moser (1893).
© Geological Survey of Austria / Andreas Ortag

1885

Dionys STUR (1827-1893) becomes third director.

1891

The first pressed Geological Specialmap 1:75,000 (sheet Olmütz) is published.

A man with full beard, bow tie and checked cap.
Guido Stache

1893

Guido STACHE (1833-1921) becomes fourth director.

A man with beard. Drawing
Emil Tietze

1901

Emil TIETZE (1845-1931) becomes director.

1903

The 9th International Geological Congress (IGC) is held in Vienna.

1919

After the end of the Habsburg monarchy, the Survey is called: „Geologische Staatsanstalt“.

A left-looking man with short hair and full beard. Three-quarter view.
Georg Geyer

1920

Georg GEYER (1857-1936) becomes director.

1922

The „Geologische Staatsanstalt“ is from now on the: „Geologische Bundesanstalt“.

A man wearing glasses, beard and bow tie.
Wilhelm Hammer

1923

Wilhelm HAMMER (1875-1942) becomes director.

1933

Hermann VETTERS (1880-1941) edits the „Geologische Karte der Republik Österreich 1:500.000“.

A man with beard and wearing a tie.
Otto Ampferer

1935

Otto AMPFERER (1875-1947) becomes director.

A man with full beard and wearing a tie.
Heinrich Beck

1937

Gustav GÖTZINGER (1880-1969) becomes director.

Heinrich BECK (1880-1979) becomes „kommissarischer Leiter“ of the Survey.

1938/1939

The new name is: „Geologische Landesanstalt für Österreich“

1939

The Survey becomes as „Zweigstelle Wien“ part of the „Reichsstelle (later „Reichsamt“) für Bodenforschung“ in Berlin (Germany).

A man wearing glasses and a tie.
Franz Lotze

1941

Franz LOTZE (1903-1971) becomes head resp. director.

A man wearing a tie and pinstripe suit.
Gustav Götzinger

1945

Gustav GÖTZINGER (1880-1969) becomes director again.

Start of reconstruction of the building.

A man wearing glasses and a tie.
Heinrich Küpper

1950

Heinrich KÜPPER (1904-2000) becomes director.

100th anniversary

1955

Reconstruction of Rasumofsky Place is finished.

1961

Geological map of Austria 1:1,000.000 (by Peter BECK-MANNAGETTA) is published.

1964/1970

Several UNESCO-Post-Graduate-Courses at the Geological Survey.

A smiling man with glasses and bald head.
Anton Ruttner

1970

Anton W. RUTTNER (1911-2006) becomes director.

1973

Start of IT at the Geological Survey.

A man with a beard, tie and jacket. Right behind a man with hidden face and a glass in his hand.
Felix Ronner

1974

Felix RONNER (1922-1982) becomes director.

1978

Reorganisation of the Geological Survey.

1980

The Geological Survey publishes „Der Geologische Aufbau Österreichs“ (ed. by Rudolf OBERHAUSER).

A man with short hair and a beard wearing glasses and a tie.
Traugott E. Gattinger

1983

Traugott E. GATTINGER (1930-2006) becomes director.

1986

A new periodical, „Berichte der Geologischen Bundesanstalt“, starts.

1987

The „Geochemical Atlas from 1:1,000,000“ is published.

1989

Start to complete IT-Services at the Geological Survey.

1993

Hans Peter SCHÖNLAUB becomes director

1997

The „Metallogenetic Map of Austria 1:500,000“ is published.

1999

150th anniversary of the Geological Survey.

„Rocky Austria“ is published.

 

A car in the foreground which reflects the building of the Geological Survey, which is in the background.
The Geological Survey in Neulinggasse.
© Geological Survey of Austria / Lois Lammerhuber

2005

Removal into the new building at Neulinggasse 38.

2007-2009

„International Year of the Planeth Earth“ (IYPE)

2008

Albert DAURER (Vice Director) takes over the provisional management.

2009

Peter SEIFERT becomes director.

2019

Robert SUPPER (Vice Director) takes over the provisional management.

2023

On January 1st 2023, the Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG) and the Geologische Bundesanstalt (GBA) will merge to form GeoSphere Austria.

» We are GeoSphere Austria