Ottokar Fischer Marteau (November 10, 1873 – December 1, 1940) was an Austrian magician.

History

Ottokar Fischer Marteau, ''also known as (born)'' Ottokar Fischer (November 10, 1873, Leschan ( cs, Lešany) - December 1, 1940) was born in a small village Leschan in Austrian Empire. In 1883 his parents moved to

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, where he saw Charles Obra, Mellini, Ben Ali Bey, and other noted performers. He gave his own first public performance at age 18. He billed himself as ''"O.F. Marteau"''. In 1896 Fischer met George Heubeck, who was the successor of Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser, who taught him all of Hofzinser's effects. Fischer also previously had studied with A. Fredmar the only pupil of Compars Herrmann. Fischer confessed that he did not find a lot of personal information about Hofzinser. He based his knowledge mainly on delivered stories and information by Hofzinser's friends and pupils and on detected letters and manuscripts as well as on several magic props of Hofzinser which he got from his friends. Starting in 1898 he managed and appeared regularly at the Kratky Baschik theatre in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, a magic theatre with nearly 1000 seats. For 12 years he performed daily with a two and a half-hour show of magic. Several times Fischer performed before the Imperial Court of

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

and before other crowned heads. He performed for many years as a magician, before retiring after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

to write a history of the art of magic. Fischer was the founder of the "Wiener Magischer Klub" and its president for many years. April 1936, was on cover of

International Brotherhood of Magicians International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) is an organization for both professional and amateur close-up and stage magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St. Charles, Missouri. There are over 300 ...

magazine 'The Linking Ring'. In 1939 the

Society of American Magicians The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.) is the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world. Its purpose is "to advance, elevate, and preserve magic as a performing art, to promote harmonious fellowship throughout the world of magic, and ...

made Fischer an honorary member.

Published works

* J. N. Hofzinser's Card Conjuring - ''Kartenkünste'' (1910) * Illustrated Magic (''Das Wunderbuch der Zauberkunst'') (1929) Translated into English by J. Barrows Mussey and

Fulton Oursler Charles Fulton Oursler (January 22, 1893 – May 24, 1952) was an American journalist, playwright, editor and writer. Writing as Anthony Abbot, he was an author of mysteries and detective fiction. His son was the journalist and author Will Ou ...

. THis book was republished in Canada by Coles in 1980 under the same name, Illustrated Magic. *''Aus Eins mach Zehn... (ein Wiener Zauberbuch)'' (1933) * The Magic of J.N. Hofzinser - ''J. N. Hofzinser Zauberkünste'' (1942) Translated into English by Richard Hatch

References

External links

* * German Wikipedia entry Ottokar Fischer
Ottokar Fischer biography

Magischer Klub Wein - Historical Pictures
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fischer, Ottokar Austrian magicians Card magic German Bohemian people 1873 births 1940 deaths

History

Published works

See also

References

External links