Sichrovsky, Heinrich von
SICHROVSKY, HEINRICH VON
SICHROVSKY, HEINRICH VON (1794–1866), Austrian railroad entrepreneur. While on a world tour, Sichrovsky was greatly impressed with the new railroads being built in England. Upon his return to Austria he made a thorough study of the subject; subsequently, together with Leopold von Wertheimstein, he interested Solomon *Rothschild in helping finance the first Austrian railroad, the Nordbahn, of which Sichrovsky served as general secretary till his death. For his services he was posthumously awarded the title of nobility, but he had no male descendants. His daughter, Elise, married Theodor *Gomperz, and his brother, Joseph, was also prominent in developing railroads. Sichrovsky was also active in Jewish communal affairs, particularly in the ḥevra kaddisha of Vienna (as of 1819) and as member of the community council (Vorstand; 1844–58). He was a noted member of the pre-1848 Viennese literary society known as the Ludlamshoehle.
bibliography:
Quellen und Forschungen zur Geschichte der Juden in Oesterreich, 11 (1936), index; Wurzbach Biographisches Lexikon, 34 (1877), 213–5. add. bibliography: H. Sichrovsky, Mein Urahn, der Bahnbrecher: Heinrich von Sichrovsky und seine Zeit (1988).