Karl Friedrich von Frank

241 Karl Friedrich von Frank 1894-1975 HE DEATH on 18 July 1975, of the distinguished Austrian scholar Karl Friedrich von Frank, is a severe blow to those who knew him personally or through his professional services. He died suddenly at his home, Schloss Senftenegg, Ferschnitz, Niederosterreich, twelve days after his eightieth birthday, and was buried in the chapel of the Schloss. He is survived by his widow, the former Margaretha Vojta, five children, several grandchildchildren and great grand-children, to all of whom the Society extends its deepest sympathy. Born in Vienna 6 July 1894, the son of Karl Joseph von Frank zu Di5fering and his wife Louisa Valentin, his genealogical interests began in his youth; by the time of his death he had accumulated a tremendous library of over 120,000 volumes, as well as a large manuscript and archival collection. He was a member of many European genealogical and historical societies; in 1962 he was elected a Corresponding Member of this Society. In 1953 he had been elected the 66th Fellow of The American Society of Genealogists (F. A. S. G.) . His published works include Alt-Osterreichisches A deft-Lexicon, (1928) and in (1930) the Kress Family History, published for the chain-store family. A German edition entitled Die Kressen. Ein Familiengeschichte appeared in 1936. In 1951 he began publishing Sera' tenegger Monatsblatt fitr Genealogie und Heraldik. In this periodical appeared genealogical articles of his own, and of others, including Friedrich Krebs, also one of our Corresponding Members. The genealogy of the Slagle family of Baltimore appeared in the Monatsblatt in 1965, the German ancestry by von Frank and the American branches by William B. Marye & A. Russell Slagle. An English edition was published in 1967. Von Frank's last major work was Standeserhebungen und Gnadenakte file das Deutsche Reich un die Osterreischischen Erblande bis 1806, sowie kaiserlich osterreichische bis 1823 mit eihigen Nachtnigen zum "Alt-Osterreichische Adels-Lexicon" 1823-1918 (5 vols., 19671974) . This tremendous work includes abstracts of documents whereby the Holy Roman Emperors and the Emperors of Austria elevated individuals to a higher status, and in other ways showed them exceptional favors. There is a vast body of information of both great and small European noble families in this extensive work. The many friends and clients von Frank had in this country will sorely miss him. His like will not be readily replaced. T