Villa Haenel-Pancera
Bad Ischl, Concordiastraße 3
Bad Ischl, Concordiastraße 3
At one time, the villa was actually called Villa Vockner because of Josef Vockner. Vockner, the former teacher of the young pianist Ella Pancera, bought the plot between the Concordia and Brenner streets in 1887.
Vockner commissioned the villa in 1889/90. The Viennese municipal architect Ferdinand Wendeler designed the villa, and master builder Ignaz Miller from Bad Ischl executed the construction.
The first extension of the villa was made by master builder Michael Treu. Note: you can find more details about Michael Treu in the Mitteilungen (No. 43) bulletin of the Cultural Heritage Society of Bad Ischl (Ischler Heimatverein), page 61.
The next extension was in 1926 by master builder Hans Zierler from Bad Ischl.
Vockner and Theodor Leschetizky both taught the highly talented piano virtuosa Pancera. Ella Pancera (15 August 1876, Viella – 10 May 1932, Bad Ischl), whose actual first name was Gabriele, performed on stage already at the age of thirteen. In 1892 she went on many concert tours throughout Europe, and was particularly liked by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. She married three times. From 1898 until 1910 she was married to Adolf Max Blüthner, son of the Viennese piano maker. Her marriage to Dr. Johann Krill only lasted until 1923. Her third husband was the German engineer Wilhelm Haenel*).
In 1909, Ella Pancera purchased the villa with its beautifully designed garden from Josef Vockner, and lived there with Haenel until she died in 1932. Her grave is located in the cemetery in Bad Ischl.
Probably in 1960, the “Haenel-Pancera-Family Museum” was established in the art nouveau villa. There were a variety of different pieces of art from all over the world. The unique pieces, in particular the Moorish Room, are evidence of the couple’s many journeys.
The house was run as a museum by Haenel’s second wife, but unfortunately, it has been closed since her death.
* Further details on the cruel National Socialist expropriations under Wilhelm Haenel are found in the book Die Villen von Bad Ischl by M.-T. Arnbom, page 164fn.
