Karl Alexander

The Austrian Benedictine abbot Alexander Karl (1824-1909) was born the son of a wealthy landowner. He studied theology and philosophy at the University of Vienna and entered the Benedictine Abbey of Melk in Lower Austria in 1844, where he was ordained priest in 1849. Here he held the positions of chamberlain (responsible for finances), building and garden director and cellar master before finally being elected 62nd abbot of Melk Abbey in 1875. From 1878 to 1908 he was a member of the Lower Austrian parliament for five legislative periods.

Karl Alexander - Stift Melk, Alexander Karl

He belonged to the "Association for the Protection of Austrian Viticulture", which he also presided over as president from 1896. He earned special merits because he was one of the first to have the Abbey vineyards in Baden and Gumpoldskirchen planted with vines grafted with American rootstocks when phylloxera appeared in Austria, in order to motivate the winegrowers who were sceptical about the method. The abbot had an orchard planted in Melk with 25 varieties of table grapes. The Wachau also owes its characteristic cider fruit trees lining the country roads to his initiative.

Portrait: by Unknown - austria-lexikon.at, Public domain, Link
Melk: by Bwag - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

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Karl Alexander

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