Danube-Networkers

The "Painting Ferryman", Franz Knapp

Text: Lotte Stiegler

Video: Stevan Fajana

Interview with his son

His love for the danube

He found his love of water very early in his life. He grew up by "Gamingbach". He always said, that his first impressions were the sounds of trickling water. He worked as a ferryman on the Danube for 27 years and his work was not always easy.

 

 

Art, friends & Kokoschka

He discovered his talent for painting in Russia, where he was based as a soldier during the war together with Prof. Tahedl. Prof. Tahedl was already known as a freelance painter and graphic designer. Both of them were impressed by the landscape of Russia and people. A lot of his art was created there. After the war Franz Knapp became an independent artist. In 1960 he bought a printing press, opened up a studio and financed it without any public help.

 

 

Abstracts of the Interview with his son:

About Connecting Europe

"The Danube connects Eastern and Western Europe. Already in the ancient world the Danube was of great importance. People came from Asia along the Danube. You can deduct that from a lot of ancient discoveries, like the Venus of Willendorf. With the end of the Danube monarchy the great European school of thought was lost. I travelled all the countries along the Danube and made a lot of friends and I never was afraid of meeting people from different cultures."

"I am not a politician but I know what we all should know: there is a great potential in these countries."

"We cannot oppose anything to these countries except our mind."

"Bridges are important symbols for connecting countries, people and cultures"

"That is why I published a book containing my fathers art work. That is why I initiated the erection of the "Nibelungen - Monument in Pöchlarn. All these countries are linked in the stories of the 'Nibelungenepos'."