FISCHBACH, fish'biti, Friedrich, German textile designer: b. Aix-la-Chapelle, 1839; d. 1908. He received his education at the Berlin Academy of Industrial Design. In 1862 be re moved to Vienna where he followed the pro fession of decorator and designer. He became teacher of ornamentation at the Royal Acad emy, Hanau, in 1870, and from 1883 to 1888 served as director of the Industrial Art School of Saint-Gall, In 1889 he removed to Wies baden. He founded many societies for the ad vancement of industrial art and by his work exercised a great influence on textile designing in Germany. In 1909 the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acquired his collection of antique embroideries and fabrics. He pub lished 'Ornamente der Gewebe' (1874-81); `Geschichte der Textilkunst' (1883) ; 'Slid ,lavische Ornamente' (2d ed., 1872) ; 'Album ffir Stickerei' (130 patterns in gold and colors, 1872; 1880) ;
(1892) • 'Die wich tigsten Webemuster bis zum 14ten Jahrhun den' (1900).
FISCHER,'fish'er, Abraham, South Afri can statesman: b. Green Point, Cape Town, 1850; d. 1913. He was educated at the South African College, became interested in the poli tics of the Orange Free State and in 1878 be came a member of the Volksraad. In 1896 he became a member of the Executive Council of the Volksraad and.took part in many colonial and interstate conferences. He headed a joint deputation from Transvaal and Orange Free State to Europe and America during the South African War. From 1907 to 1910 he was Premier of the Orange River Colony and in the latter year became Minister of Lands in the new Union of 'South Africa government. He was made Privy Councillor in 1911 and be came Minister of the Interior and Lands in 1912.