2. Eduard Hackl’s Villa

2. Eduard Hackl’s Villa

17. listopadu 6

This Neo-Baroque villa with rich stucco decoration was built by Franz Riess, a native of Šumperk, between 1893 and 1894. Part of the project was an ornamental garden with a fountain. For many years, the villa served as a public library.

The building was commissioned by Eduard Hackl, a pharmacist from Šumperk, who owned The Black Bear Pharmacy from the year 1874. It was the second pharmacy in Šumperk, after the Imperial Eagle Pharmacy on the main square. Eduard went down in history as a man of radical views on the healthcare system. He submitted a proposal to nationalise the pharmacies and offer free medicines for all citizens. Around 1880, he co-drafted the Pharmacy Act. He actively promoted his revolutionary ideas in the press and in the highest places. His efforts earned him the derogatory nickname “Red Pharmacist”. His ideas were ahead of his time, and in 1893, he decided to sell the pharmacy.