Austria, along with Great Britain are among the first countries that opened their consulates in 1851 in Bitola. The first Austro-Hungarian diplomatic representative since 1868 in Bitola was Fridrich Riter Mare.

The end of the fifties dismissed many consuls and vice-consuls dismissed such as Atanackovic, Vester, Maer, Vuletic, Franc Riter Saretic and others.

Although there is so less information about the Austro-Hungary`s consuls in Bitola during the period between the 60`s and the 90`s of the19th century, it is notable that they were dismissed very frequently.

From 1890 to 1892 the diplomatic representative of Austro-Hungary in Bitola was the vice consul Pagatcher. During the tempestuous events, before and after Ilinden Uprising, Augusto Kraal performed his duty as a consul. Together with the Russian counsil Aleksander Rostovski, according to the K.P.Misirkov evidence, they were the best informed about the events in the Bitola`s Vilayet. Besides this A. Kral in his reports to his principals passes on valuable information about the political, economic, trade, cultural educational, ethnographic, statistical and other circumstances in the vilayet, which is valuable material about the history of the Macedonian people.

The frequent replacement of the diplomatic representatives of Austro-Hungary in the consulate in Bitola continues even after the Ilinden period. Thus from January 1905 to December 1908 many consuls or vice-consuls were replaced and some of them were appointed for the second time. In this period lasting for four years, the following diplomats headed this consulate: Oscar Prohaska, Parher, Dr. Ranci, Richard Openhaim, Jehlica, Posvai, and Tahi.

Austro-Hungary had very important and significant economic and political interests, which were successfully represented by its diplomatic representatives in Macedonia, thus preventing Russian policy as well as that of the neighboring Balkan monarchies to be incorporated in the Balkan.

Former Austrian consulate, the building today (“Magnolia”)

(Marshal Tito 37)

This building was built in the second half of the 19th century as the private property of the Bitola rentier Ikonomov, who rented it out to Austro-Hungary to be used as their consulate in Bitola. From 1912 to the 80`s it was used as a department store, a restaurant and a cake shop and was better known as "Magnolia" (the name comes from the magnolia tree which used to grow in front of its entrance door). Its architectural appearance is quite impressive and the ideal proportions of the wall mass are accomplished by the symmetrically arranged windows, framed by marble trims and arched roofs of the cellars. The overall conception of the building brings is close to the Mediterranean architecture.

Bitola city of Consuls

Author: Nikola Minovski

NI Institute and Museum Bitola

2002