Egon Schiele with Military Colleagues and Officiers, 1916

On 1st May 1916, Egon Schiele (1890–1918) noted in his diary that he was commandeered to Mühling, which was a surprise to him, as he didn’t even know “where that is” (ESDA 1034). Situated to the west of Vienna in Lower Austria on the Erlauf, the village of Mühling had a prisoner-of-war camp for Russian officers where Schiele was deployed at the provisions office. Edith Schiele (1893–1918), who visited her husband regularly, and would later rent a room in the nearest town of Purgstall, wrote to her mother: “His duties are light, he is treated by the officers, that is to say the Austrian ones, in a friendly and accommodating manner […].” (ESDA 1044) Despite the monotonous work and the great restrictions to his artistic work, Schiele was fortunate to be stationed there; he found the surrounding landscape charming, was able to go for walks, and had some time for his art (ESDA 1046); moreover, the supply situation was better there than in Vienna. The present photograph shows Schiele (last row, second from the left) surrounded by comrades and three officers of the Mühling headquarters. Compared to his colleagues, he appears delicate, which is why he was not deemed fit for armed combat and was instead assigned administrative duties.

KJ, 2024