Franz Comlossi
Franz Comlossi was the name of the owner of this property. He earned his living as an umbrella and comb maker. Born in Rastatt, he was one of the strongest supporters of the revolution. Banker Meyer, a chronicler of his time, described him unflatteringly as "without education but gifted with eloquence, a furious republican."
Franz Comlossi built his house on the banks of the River Murg in 1844 in his parents' garden. He was a board member of the Volksverein (“People's Association”) and did not hide his radical views. Franz Comlossi played a key role when the soldiers allied themselves with the citizens of Rastatt in May 1849 and the open rebellion in Rastatt began. Ursula, his wife, was in no way inferior to him. She was cut from the same cloth as her husband and was also passionate about democratic ideals. The couple were promptly court martialed, and fleeing across the Atlantic was their only chance. Franz and Ursula knew how to make the most of it, and New York was soon enriched by a German inn. "Zur Festung Rastatt" was the apt name of the pub with which the two built up a new existence.
