Villa Beer in Vienna Reopens as Modernist Landmark and Guesthouse
After undergoing restoration, Villa Beer, created by Josef Frank and Oskar Wlach, has reopened its doors in Vienna, offering tours, events, and accommodation options. This villa was commissioned in 1929 by Julius and Margarethe Beer, a Jewish couple deeply engaged in Vienna's cultural scene, showcasing interiors and furnishings crafted by Frank and Wlach. Due to financial difficulties, the Beer family relinquished the property in 1932. As Nazism ascended, Frank emigrated to Sweden, while Wlach and the Beer family escaped in 1938. The Pöschmann family acquired the villa in 1941, which was later utilized by British intelligence and designated a protected monument in 1987. In 1942, Elisabeth Beer was deported to Maly Trostinetz after being denied a US visa. The villa is set to reopen in 2025.
Key facts
- Villa Beer is located on Wenzgasse in the Hietzing district of Vienna.
- Julius and Margarethe Beer acquired the plot in 1929; Julius co-owned the rubber company Berson.
- Josef Frank and Oskar Wlach designed the villa, interiors, furnishings, and garden between 1929 and 1930.
- Frank and Wlach ran the furniture company Haus & Garten, founded in 1925.
- The Beer family ceded the property to its financing insurance company in 1932.
- The Pöschmann family purchased the villa in 1941 and preserved its original furnishings.
- The villa was placed under monument protection in 1987.
- Elisabeth Beer was deported to Maly Trostinetz in 1942 after being denied a US visa due to her disability.
- The villa reopened to the public in 2025 with guided tours, events, and overnight guest accommodations.
Entities
Artists
- Josef Frank
- Oskar Wlach
- Julius Beer
- Margarethe Beer
- Elisabeth Beer
- Trude Fleischmann
- Le Corbusier
Institutions
- Villa Beer
- Haus & Garten
- Berson
- Svenskt Tenn
- IKEA
- Travel On Art
Locations
- Vienna
- Austria
- Hietzing
- Wenzgasse
- Sweden
- United States
- Maly Trostinetz
- Hietzing Cottage
- Schönbrunn