Jager, John

John Jager was born in Vrhnika, Slovenia, completed his secondary education in Ljubljana and in 1892, enrolled in the College of Architecture of the Vienna Polytechnicum. In 1901 he was appointed as an architect to assist rebuilding the Austro-Hungarian legation in China. In 1902 he opened an office in Minneapolis briefly entering partnership with Carl Stravs. Jager began working on a city plan for Minneapolis, which was published in 1906. After designing several private residences and churches, Jager joined the firm of Hewitt & Brown, where he was employed until 1933, when he became Superintendent of Federal Works under CWA and WPA programs. After retiring from those programs, Jager spent the rest of his life studying oriental art, languages, nature and architecture.

From the description of John Jager papers, 1884-1947. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 63285913

John Jager was born in Carniola, Austria, on May 16, 1871. He completed his secondary education in Ljubljana and in 1892, enrolled in the College of Architecture of the Vienna Polytechnicum, from which he graduated in 1899. During the next two years, he was an assistant at the Polytechnicum and also chief architect for Municipal City Planning where he drew a city plan for Ljubljana. In 1901 he was appointed as captain of engineers in the Imperial Royal Government Service of Austria in Peking, China, to help rebuild the Austro-Hungarian legation, destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion.

In 1902, he came to the United States to join his father and opened an architectural office in Minneapolis. Jager began working on a city plan for Minneapolis in 1904, which was exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis and was published in 1906. He briefly entered partnership in 1905 with Carl Stravs and designed several private residences and churches. Jager left the partnership in 1909 and joined the firm of Hewitt & Brown, for whom he was employed, except for service in World War I, until 1933. In that year, he became Superintendent of Federal Works under the C.W.A. and W.P.A. programs. He retired following his service in this position in 1943 and devoted the remainder of his life to studies in Oriental art, languages, and nature, as well as maintaining his strong interest in architecture. John Jager died in Minneapolis on October 31, 1959.

From the guide to the John Jager papers, 1884-1947, (University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division [naa])