P Walter C. Koerner

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Born in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Koerner and his brothers, Otto, Leon and Theodor fled in 1938 to England, and then to Canada. Coming from a family of foresters, they bought a sawmill in New Westminster and named their company Alaska Pine and Cellulose. They sold the company to Rayonier in 1954, and Walter became chair of Rayonier Canada (BC) until 1972. Soon after arriving in B.C., around 1941, he and his wife Marianne began collecting Northwest Coast art. Koerner travelled to many areas of the province including the Nimpkish River, Alert Bay, Fort Rupert, Nootka Sound, Quatsino Sound and the Queen Charlotte Islands. He also bought NWC objects from galleries in Europe in order to bring them back to their 'homeland'. For several decades, Walter Koerner donated art objects as well as purchasing funds to the UBC Museum of Anthropology. In 1972 the Federal Government granted funds to build the present Museum building, to house in part "... that collection generally know[n] as the 'Koerner Collection' which the University shall acquire." Gallery 3 showcased part of the Koerner Northwest Coast collection from 1976 to 1997. Walter Koerner was Chair of the Board of Governors at UBC from 1968 to 1972.

Born in Moravia, Koerner and his brothers, Otto, Leon and Theodor fled in 1938 to England, and then to Canada. Coming from a family of foresters, they bought a sawmill in New Westminster and named their company Alaska Pine and Cellulose. They sold the company to Rayonier in 1954, and Walter became chair of Rayonier Canada (BC) until 1972. Soon after arriving in B.C., around 1941, he and his wife Marianne began collecting Northwest Coast art. Koerner travelled to many areas of the province including the Nimpkish River, Alert Bay, Fort Rupert, Nootka Sound, Quatsino Sound and the Queen Charlotte Islands. He also bought NWC objects from galleries in Europe in order to bring them back to their 'homeland'. For several decades, Walter Koerner donated art objects as well as purchasing funds to the UBC Museum of Anthropology. In 1972 the Federal Government granted funds to build the present Museum building, to house in part "... that collection generally know[n] as the 'Koerner Collection' which the University shall acquire." The MOA Masterpiece Gallery showcased part of the Koerner Northwest Coast collection from 1976 to 1997. In addition, a new wing was built at MOA in 1988 in order to house his extensive European ceramics collection. Walter Koerner was Chair of the Board of Governors at UBC from 1968 to 1972, and among his many honours, he was a recipient of the Order of Canada, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from U.B.C.

Born: 1898
Died: 1995-07-21

Walter Charles Koerner was born in Moravia in 1898. His childhood was spent in Novy Jicin, a town in northern Moravia. When he was eighteen he joined an infantry regiment of the Austro-Hungarian army and fought in WWI. After the war he joined his father's company, J. Koerner Forest Industry Ltd. He lived in Opava 1920-1926 where he married his wife Marianne Hikl. IN 1925 the family moved to Prague, where his 2nd son Michael was born. While there he collected 100s of objects, many of which he brought to Canada. In the summer of 1938, when the threat of German invasion was imminent, he, being Jewish, left Czechoslovakia for England to join his wife and sons (attending school there). His brother Leon, and nephew John accompanied him. He managed to ship out some of his possessions before the German occupation in 1939, including his European ceramics collection. Many of his relatives, who remained behind, died at Auschwitz. He spent a year in London while his brother Leon went to North America to look for a new home, landing in British Columbia. In 1939 he bought a sawmill in New Westminster, and Walter and family joined him later in 1939, living in Vancouver. They named their company Alaska Pine and Cellulose. They sold the company to Rayonier in 1954, and Walter became chair of Rayonier Canada (BC) until 1972. Soon after arriving in B.C. he and Marianne continued collecting, and began collecting Northwest Coast art. Koerner travelled to many areas of the province including the Nimpkish River, Alert Bay, Fort Rupert, Nootka Sound, Quatsino Sound and the Queen Charlotte Islands. He also bought NWC objects from galleries in Europe in order to bring them back to their 'homeland'. For several decades, Walter Koerner donated objects as well as purchasing funds to the UBC Museum of Anthropology. In 1972 the Federal Government granted funds to build the present Museum building, to house in part "... that collection generally know[n] as the 'Koerner Collection' which the University shall acquire." The MOA Masterpiece Gallery showcased part of the Koerner Northwest Coast collection from 1976 to 1997. In addition, a new wing was built at MOA in 1988 in order to house his extensive European ceramics collection. Walter Koerner was Chair of the Board of Governors at UBC from 1968 to 1972, and among his many honours, he was a recipient of the Order of Canada, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from UBC.

Born: 1898-07-21
Died: 1995-07-21