Altmann, Siegfried, 1887-1963

Siegfried Altmann was born on July 12th, 1887 in Nikolsburg, Austria-Hungary (now Mikulov, Czech Republic). He studied social work and became the director of the Jewish Institute for the Blind Hohe Warte in Vienna.

Altmann left Vienna in 1939 and immigrated to the United States. He started working as business director of the Austrian Institute in New York until he became director of the entire institute in 1958. Siegfried Altmann died on September 14th, 1963 in New York City.

The Israelitisches Blinden-Institut was founded upon an initiative of Ludwig August Frankl; Jonas Freiherr von Königswarter donated the building, which was inducted on December 1, 1872, with Rabbi Adolf Jellinek and Cantor Salomon Sulzer being present. The institute took care of blind children and young adults, providing them with vocational training.