At this point, the future of the "Haus des Meeres" was up in the air. On the one hand, the newly opened Aquarium House in Schönbrunn had become a major competitor, on the other hand the original team, including officials and staff, was ready to move on to other tasks. Just at the right moment, Mr. Emmerich Schlosser returned to Vienna from New Guinea with his bivalve and gastropod collection along with many original ethnographic items. Vienna's cultural office offered him the directorship of the "Haus des Meeres". Dr. Hartel was willing to assume the presidency of the society, and I found myself in the vice-president's chair. Soon, a new crew of idealists was rounded up and brought the enterprise back into full swing.