Life
Carl Anton Siegl was born on 6 November 1851 in Jáchymov in house No. 144 as the son of the builder František Siegl. He received his early education in his hometown and later studied at the grammar school in Cheb.
After finishing his studies he moved to Prague, where he attended historical lectures at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Charles-Ferdinand University. At the same time he studied law at the same university. After completing his studies he obtained the degree of Doctor of both laws.
In 1874 he joined the district court in Cheb as a court official. In this position he became well known and respected. Because of his role he was also present at the last execution carried out in Cheb in 1881.
Archivist and museum director
Due to declining health he retired early in 1895. In the same year, however, he became director of the municipal archive in Cheb. His health improved considerably and he remained in this position until 1943.
At the same time he also served as director of the municipal museum in Cheb and became an important figure in the cultural life of the town. He devoted himself to historical research, archival work and the publication of studies on the history of the region.
Carl Anton Siegl died on 18 August 1943 in Cheb.
Activity in Jáchymov
Between his studies and his professional career in Cheb, Siegl spent a short period in his native town of Jáchymov. There he briefly worked as director of the municipal museum and as town archivist.
During the reconstruction of the town hall in 1871 he explored the attic spaces and discovered in a dusty corner a pile of old books. He recognised them as the remains of the famous Latin library of Jáchymov, which had long been considered lost. This discovery proved to be important for the study of the cultural history of the town.
