Viennese chocolate factory: A forgotten legacy is rediscovered!

Viennese chocolate factory: A forgotten legacy is rediscovered!

Penzing, Österreich - Vienna, a city with a deeply rooted chocolate tradition, not only houses famous confections, but also unexplored stories of past times. In Meiselstraße 9, once the home of a chocolate factory, part of this eventful story was largely forgotten. Since the 1970s, there have been hardly any digital traces or records that are reminiscent of the former heyday of the factory. [Meinverzirk] reports that even the Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus district museum could not provide any information about the factory.

The initial impetus for searching for traces was given by the "Schokomichi" chocolatier, which kept up the memory of the Hawlik family and her once flowering chocolate production. Michael Mantl-Mussak, a descendant of the Hawliks, shares his knowledge of the history of the factory, which was founded in 1914 by Anton Hawlik, an immigrant from Telč in Bohemia. What started with a small kitchen quickly developed into a factory in Meiselstrasse and finally moved to Pelzgasse 20 in 1941. Mantl-Mussak emphasizes that the company under the name Anton Hawlik & Sons was active until the 1970s before it was deleted from the commercial register after Josef Hawlik's death, since the descendants were not interested in continuation.

insight into the past

The stories about the Hawlik factory are not only historical anecdotes; They also document the passion and commitment that have been dealt with in chocolate production. Mantl-Mussak preserves valuable historical objects such as documents, a seal ring and a rabbit cast form. These memorabilia testify to the meaning that the family and their product had in the Austrian chocolate culture. Anton Hawlik was even president of the Austrian chocolate manufacturers and was honored with his own Hawlik march.

Furthermore, Brigitte Neichl from the district museum of the old newspaper articles, which report on anniversaries and remarkable events around the chocolate factory. Michael Reimer from "Schokomichi" reports that his father once considered taking over the factory - a project that was not implemented in reality. The building at Meiselstraße 9 still bears the name "Chocolate Factory" and is reminiscent of the sweet times that once took place in the walls.

Austria's chocolate culture

The history of the Hawlik factory is only a small part of the rich legacy of chocolate in Austria. This has its place in the country's culinary art and celebrates a long history - starting with the introduction of chocolate from the new world, which was very popular as a hot drink. In the imperial Vienna in particular, chocolate was a status symbol that also used Maria Theresia for her personal pleasure. The cultural heritage of Austria includes famous sweets such as the Sachert cake and the cardinal cuts, which have become a tradition in Viennese coffee houses, as is recorded on [chocolate world].

Today, three large manufacturers in Vienna share the market: Heindl, Manner and Niemetz. Heindl, known for his large selection of sweet confectionery, has vigorously adapted its premises in recent years and has now operated more than 31 confectionery shops in Austria. Manner, famous for his waffles with pink packaging, is also based in the 17th district and expanded. These companies show that the tradition of chocolate production is also very popular in modern times, even if many smaller manufacturers have been on the wayside in recent decades, as [Vienna-trips] reported.

The love of chocolate is and remains an integral part of Austrian culture - from the traditional coffee houses to modern chocolate festivals that take place regularly in cities such as Vienna and Graz. The exchange of recipes, the return to old crafts and the creative creation of new products ensure that the sweet seduction never goes away.