A brilliant fundraising soirée in the presence of Hans Kelsen’s descendants

Oct 13, 2021 | JMW News

On October 11, 2021, on the 140th birthday of the architect of the Austrian Constitution, Hans Kelsen, the Jewish Museum Vienna held a fundraising soirée at the Juridicum of the University of Vienna. Hans Kelsen’s granddaughter Anne Feder Lee, accompanied by her son Geoffrey Lee, traveled from Hawaii for this occasion. The proceeds of the evening will be donated to the cultural education program for children and young people at the Jewish Museum Vienna.

Prominent soirée guests
Nearly 100 people listened to the speech by former Austrian Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein, who had also taken on the patronage of the exhibition “Hans Kelsen and the Elegance of the Austrian Constitution.” The exhibition was on view at the Jewish Museum Vienna from October 2020 to October 2021.
Legal historian Thomas Olechowski spoke with Anne Feder Lee about her memories of her grandfather Hans Kelsen.
A further highlight of the evening was the reading by Cornelius Obonya from the graphic novel “Gezeichnet. Hans Kelsen,” which the Jewish Museum Vienna published for the exhibition. The comic about the history of the Austrian Constitution and the life of Hans Kelsen, which appeared in MANZ Verlag, was presented as a specially designed limited edition at the soirée. In addition, the guests were able to participate in a silent auction with prints from the graphic novel by artist and author Pia Plankensteiner.

“Hans Kelsen and the Elegance of the Austrian Constitution” at the Juridicum
The exhibition of the Jewish Museum Vienna, “Hans Kelsen and the Elegance of the Austrian Constitution,” curated by Adina Seeger, has been on view since October 11, 2021 in the auditorium of the Juridicum, home to the University of Vienna law faculty. To mark the 100th anniversary of the Austrian Constitution, the exhibition pays tribute to its architect and focuses on his life and work. On top of that, it invites visitors to take a closer look at the Federal Constitution – with surprising findings and insights.