| Born: | 07-24-1876 |
| Faculty: | Philosophical School |
| Category: | Expelled teacher |
Hans MZIK (born on July 24th, 1876 in Rzesow, died on March 4th, 1961 in Vienna) was private lecturer ("Privatdozent") for oriental studies (mediveal and newer history and cultural history of the Orient, historical geography of the Orient and Armenian language) since 1921/1929 with the title of an extraordinary professor ("tit.ao.Prof.") at the Philosophical School of the University of Vienna.
Hans Mzik, the son of a lieutenant-colonel in the imperial-royal army,[1] studied law, oriental languages, history and geography of the Orient at the universities of Vienna and Leyden and obtained his doctorate in 1904. One year earlier he had begun work as a civil servant at the Hofbibliothek (later the Nationalbibliothek, the national library). After being a private lecturer for Armenian since 1917, he became the chairman of the map collection in 1921. In 1929 he received the title of associate professor, and six years later his venia docendi was expanded to the fields of medieval history and history of the modern period as well as cultural history of the Orient and historical geography of the Orient.[2] In May 1934 he was conferred the title of Hofrat by the president.[3]
In 1938 the Nazi authorities forced Mzik into permanent retirement from his position as head librarian at the national library.[4] The Reichsstatthalterei (Reich deputy’s office) did, however, refrain from other measures under the terms of the career civil servant act.[5] As of April 22nd, 1938, he was also suspended from his teaching position at the philosophical faculty.[6] There is no mention of the exact reasons for this disciplinary measure in the files. It however seems probable that Mzik’s Polish background may have been a cause.
After the end of the war Mzik did not return to his position at the University of Vienna, due to his advanced age.
Among his most famous works are “Die Reise des Arabers Ibn Batuta durch Indien und China (14. Jhdt.)” and “Erdmessung, Grad, Meile und Stadion nach den altarmenischen Quellen” (1933).[7]
Lit.: Austrian State Archive/AdR, BKA, BBV; Archive of the University of Vienna/PH PA 2706, PHIL GZ 659 ex 1937/38; EMÖDI/TEICHL 1937; TEICHL 1951; MÜHLBERGER 1993, 45.
[1] UA, PA, fol. 54, Curriculum vitae, 18. 5. 1916.
[3] UA, PA, fol. 21, BMU an Rektorat, 18. 5. 1934 (Abschrift).
[4] ÖStA/AdR, PA, Staatsamt f. VA an Mzik, 24. 11. 1945.
[5] Vgl. ÖStA/AdR, BKA, BBV, Der Staatskommissar beim Reichsstatthalter/Otto Wächter "an das ehem. Unterrichtsministerium", 31. 3. 1939.
[6] UA, PHIL GZ 659-1937/38, O.-Nr. 62, PHIL Dekanat an Mzik, 23. 4. 1938.
Andreas Huber (translated by Thomas Rennert)
