Our History

Our collection of historical patents contains amazing inventions dating from 1852 to 1899, such as the folding bicycle from 1896 by inventor and bicycle manufacturer Johann Puch. Historical patents were granted by the emperor at that time and, just like patents today, were a type of monopoly on the use of inventions. Our library’s unique historical collection comprises around 95,000 documents – some handwritten and with beautifully colored drawings. They can also be accessed online at privilegien.patentamt.at.

 

On January 2, 1899, the Austrian newspaper Neue Freie Presse reports on the founding of the Imperial and Royal Patent Office at Siebensterngasse 14 in Vienna’s 7th district. The opening took place “without any ceremony” – and the welcome address to the new staff by the Minister of Commerce, Baron von Dipauli, had to be postponed because the minister “had not yet fully recovered from his bout of influenza.”

In 1908, Austria joins the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Madrid Agreement Concerning the Registration of Marks. That same year, the two trademarks “Fritze Lacke” and “Sidol” are filed – and remain registered as valid word and figurative marks to this day.

A “wind of change” sweeps through Austria, leaving its mark even in Vienna’s government offices. As a result, on the patent certificates of the First Republic, the double-headed eagle representing the monarchy is replaced by an image of the Parliament. And in 1926, the Patent Office moves to the government building at Stubenring 1, where there is also ample space for the ever-growing specialist library.

After the National Socialists seize power in 1938, the Austrian Patent Office becomes a branch of the German Reichspatentamt. Just a few days later, the acting president, Johann Werner, is replaced by a Nazi Party member. Nine civil servants immediately lose their jobs. Three employees – Stefan Jellinek, Paul Karplus, and Heinrich Lichtblau – are murdered in the Holocaust.

To protect it from bombing raids, the Patent Office library is relocated in 1944 to a wine cellar in Retz, Lower Austria. There the books are safe from the ravages of war, but not from moisture: a large portion of the collection falls victim to mold.

After World War II, the Patent Office moves into a historic building on Vienna’s Kohlmarkt. A large portion of the staff had Nazi ties, which meant that only one of the eight lawyers and only 22 of the 70 technicians could be retained in the reestablished institution. The Austrian Patent Office begins accepting applications again on August 13, 1945. 

Patent applications nearly double in the 1950s, yielding important innovations such as VOEST’s Linz-Donawitz process and the birth control pill developed by the Viennese chemist Carl Djerassi. The former revolutionizes steel production, the latter sexual life – worldwide. A growing concern for policymakers is that an increasing number of applications are coming from abroad, while domestic filings stagnate. This only changes with more active research funding from the 1960s onwards.

The hippie movement and Woodstock pass by the Patent Office almost unnoticed, while national patent applications reach an all-time high of 12,732 in 1968. Extensive renovations and expansions are carried out to create more space for the Patent Office. Additional premises are rented on Habsburgergasse. In the Imperial Palace, the baroque private rooms of Franz Stephan of Lorraine, the husband of Empress Maria Theresa, are available for events. 

In Munich, the price of a liter of beer at the Oktoberfest rises to DM 4.25 in 1977. Just three kilometers from the Theresienwiese where the festival is held, the European Patent Office opens its doors. Austria would soon ratify the European Patent Convention as well. 

In 1979, Austria joins the European Patent Convention (EPC) and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Today, the treaty facilitates patent applications in over 150 countries. The image shows Otto Leberl, then President of the Austrian Patent Office, at the Meeting of the Administrative Bodies of WIPO in 1979.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Austrian Patent Office in 1999, all employees are invited to a celebration. At the same time, a commemorative stamp is issued by the Austrian Post. Austrian Federal President Thomas Klestil also joins in the celebrations. In the same year, a comprehensive amendment to trademark law leads to harmonization with the European and international trademark protection systems. 

The Patent Office moves from Kohlmarkt to Dresdner Strasse in Vienna-Brigittenau. The Austrian daily newspaper Der Standard runs the headline: “Patent Office Moves to the Outskirts.” The new offices offer less imperial flair, but a more modern setup and lower rent instead. A total of 32,000 boxes have to be transported to Dresdner Strasse; the library alone contains around 40 million patent documents.

The age of digitization reaches patent applications. The first patent to be filed online in 2011 is a “gear for a backlash-free spur gear stage” by MIBA Sinter Austria GmbH.

In 2015, Mariana Karepova becomes the first woman to serve as president of the Austrian Patent Office. Under her leadership, the venerable agency transforms into a modern service provider that offers its entire range of services online. (Photo: APA Fotoservice/Reither)

In 2016, the National Award for Patents is presented for the first time. It has since been awarded every two years in the categories of patents, trademarks, and a special category. The trophies are presented by the Ministry of Innovation and the Patent Office at a special ceremony. (Photo: Christian Husar)

The Patent Office’s IP Academy is founded in 2018 offering training for beginners and professionals alike in all matters relating to patents, trademarks, and designs. The workshops on offer range from the basics to special topics, such as “Can I patent my software?” or “Is there a patent on life?”.

In 2019, the Patent Office begins to offer its full range of services 100% digitally. Customers can submit all applications – whether for patents, trademarks, or designs – using online forms. The last fax message reaches us shortly before the end of the year.

Exchange with other patent offices and international institutions has been an integral part of our work for many decades. A significant milestone following decades of negotiations was the introduction of the unitary patent on June 1, 2023. Eighteen European countries have been participating in it since September 2024. This saves patent applicants a lot of paper, time, and money as only a single renewal fee is charged for all participating states, not per country, as before.