Adolf Schiele, 1874

Adolf Schiele (1851–1905) was born in Vienna. He worked for the railway, like his father Karl Ludwig Wilhelm Schiele (1817–1862), an architect and later general inspector of the Imperial-Royal Privileged Emperor Ferdinand Northern Railway. In 1879, Adolf married the daughter of a wealthy contractor, Marie Soukup (1862–1935), with whom he had four children. Because of frequent work-related transfers, their children were born in Grieskirchen (Elvira), Garsten (Melanie) and Tulln (Egon and Gertrude). Adolf Schiele was promoted to stationmaster in Tulln in 1887. The family lived comfortably on his wages, until there were repeated instances of professional misconduct in the 1890s. Adolf Schiele had contracted syphilis several years before and his condition deteriorated rapidly. He died in late 1904, leaving his family in mourning and in financial difficulties.

KJ, 2023