Magic Christian is the stage name of Christian Stelzel, a professional Austrian magician and author. [1] Christian was born on July 17, 1945, and presently lives in Vienna.
He studied industrial design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Christian has received many awards, starting with winning first prize at a competition in Weymouth, 1967, and several awards from all over the continent followed. In 1973 he won the first prize in the category of Manipulation at FISM, the world championships in magic. An accomplishment he repeated at FISM 1976 and FISM 1979 (the later time, also winning the category of Invention).
In 1989, Christian became president of the Magic Club of Vienna, and in 2005 the Academy of Magical Art at The Magic Castle, Hollywood, awarded him the "Performing Fellowship" for his performances.
Magic Christian has developed books of magic and magic sets for Piatnik, Austria's renowned playing card, board game and puzzle manufacturer.
In later years, Magic Christian has received acclaim for his thorough historic research on the legendary Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser.
Johann Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era. He was a pupil of Mozart, Salieri and Clementi. He also knew Beethoven and Schubert.
Alois Hitler was an Austrian civil servant in the customs service, and the father of Adolf Hitler, dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945.
Johann Nepomuk David was an Austrian composer.
Johann Nepomuk Eduard Ambrosius Nestroy was a singer, actor and playwright in the popular Austrian tradition of the Biedermeier period and its immediate aftermath. He participated in the 1848 revolutions and his work reflects the new liberal spirit then spreading throughout Europe.
The Herrmann pass is a sleight of hand move used to control cards. This style of the move is different from the Classic Pass.
The House of Harrach is an old and influential Bohemian and Austro-German noble family. The Grafen (Counts) of Harrach were among the most prominent families in the Habsburg Empire. As one of few mediatized families, it belongs to high nobility.
Johann Nepomuk Fuchs was an Austrian composer, opera conductor, teacher and editor. His editorial work included an important role in the preparation of the first complete edition of Schubert's works. He was an older brother of the composer Robert Fuchs.
Julius Hans Weigel was an Austrian Jewish writer and a theater critic. He lived in Vienna, except during the period between 1938 and 1945, when he lived in exile in Switzerland. He was a lifetime companion of the Austrian actress Elfriede Ott.
The Hitler family comprises the relatives and ancestors of Adolf Hitler, an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the Nazi Party. He was the dictator of Germany, holding the title Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and was also head of state as Führer und Reichskanzler from 1934 to 1945. He is noted for his central role in the rise of Nazism in Germany, provoking the start of World War II, and holding ultimate responsibility for the deaths of many millions of people during the Holocaust.
Johann Nepomuk Ehrlich was an Austrian theologian and philosopher born in Vienna.
Johann Nepomuk Ender was an Austrian portrait painter and engraver.
Thomas Ender was an Austrian landscape painter and watercolorist.
Christopher Hinterhuber is an Austrian classical pianist.
Johann Nepomuk Berger was an Austrian lawyer, politician and writer.
Ignaz Alberti was an Austrian illustrator, engraver and book printer. He employed some 20 engravers in 1787 who applied their skills to cartography and botanical books. After his death his widow managed the printing and publication.
Carl Roesner was an Austrian architect.
Johann Nepomuk Schaller was an Austrian sculptor. His most famous work is a bust of Ludwig van Beethoven at age 55, created at the request of the composer's secretary Karl Holz in 1825. It was later presented to the Royal Philharmonic Society, London, on the occasion of the Beethoven Centennial.
Johann Nepomuk Felix Hradeczky was an Austrian politician.
Anton Ferdinand Schaller was an Austrian painter in the Classical style.
Anton Schrödl was an Austrian painter of animals and genre scenes.