Czech-Liechtenstein Relations Past and Present a Summary Report by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians
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In 2009 the Czech Republic and the Principality of Liechtenstein established diplomatic Peter Geiger / Tomáš Knoz / Eliška Fučíková / ties, thus ameliorating a situation which had lasted since 1945 because of the post-war period Ondřej Horák / Catherine Horel / Johann Kräftner / of confiscations in the Czech lands. In 2010 the governments of both countries established a Thomas Winkelbauer / Jan Županič joint commission of historians in order to examine the development of relations within the context of their rich history to the present day, and to explain it not only to the two peoples but also to an international public. This Summary Report by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians contains the results of common research of more than three years, published at first in German and in Czech-Liechtenstein Relations Czech. This English Edition now opens the results to a worldwide public of interested rea- ders and researchers. Historians Past and Present The Summary Report sheds light on the history of the Princely House of Liechtenstein, A Summary Report deeply rooted in the Bohemian Lands since the Middle Ages, als well as on the difficult rela- tions between the Principality and the Czech Republic during the 20th century. It explains by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians / English Edition why the diplomatic ties remained interrupted for more than half a century, and it names questions which are still waiting for solution. Contents: – The Liechtenstein-Czech Commission of Historians – The Liechtensteins: Middle Ages, Early Modern Age, 19th Century, 20th Century – Sites of memory, historical images – The Liechtensteins and art – Land reform after 1918 – Confiscations 194 – Conclusions, desiderata, prospects – Appendix: Sources and bibliography, workshops and publications by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians, Index Czech-Liechtenstein Relations Past and Present A Summary Report by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of ISBN 978-3-906393-90-2 hL Czech-Liechtenstein Relations Past and Present Summary Report Publications by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians Peter Geiger / Tomáš Knoz / Eliška Fučíková / Ondřej Horák / Catherine Horel / Johann Kräftner / Thomas Winkelbauer / Jan Županič Summary Report, English Edition Members of the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians Czech-Liechtenstein Relations Past and Present Peter Geiger, Schaan, Co-Chairman Tomáš Knoz, Brno, Co-Chairman Eliška Fučiková, Prague Johann Kräftner, Vaduz-Vienna Thomas Winkelbauer, Vienna Tomáš Dvořák, Brno (since 2015) Ondřej Horák, Olomouc (since July 2012) Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, Vienna (since 2015) Marek Vařeka, Ostrava (until June 2012) Catherine Horel, Paris (until 2014) Jan Županič, Prague (until 2014) Secretaries Petra Sojková, Brno Sandra Wenaweser, Schaan (until 2014) Alexandra von Reden, Vienna (2015–2017) Sophie Wistawel, Vienna (since 2017) Peter Geiger / Tomáš Knoz / Eliška Fučíková / Ondřej Horák / Catherine Horel / Johann Kräftner / Thomas Winkelbauer / Jan Županič Czech-Liechtenstein Relations Past and Present A Summary Report by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians English Edition Vaduz 2020 hL Financed from EEA-Grants and Norway grants This Summary Report was written and unanimously adopted by the Commission of Historians in December 2013 in German, then translated into Czech and published in both languages. First published 2014 in German (Vaduz) and in Czech (Brno) English Edition, Vaduz 2020 Translated by Graeme Dibble, reviewed by Abigail Ryan Prohaska and by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians Copyright © 2020 Verlag des Historischen Vereins für das Fürstentum Liechtenstein, Vaduz, and the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians Printed by Druckerei Gutenberg, Schaan / Liechtenstein ISBN 978-3-906393-90-2 Cover: Lednice (Eisgrub), Liechtenstein Castle, the garden faÇade in English Neo-Gothic, built in 1842–45 by Georg Wingelmüller and Johann Heidrich according to plans by Peter Hubert Desvignes © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz–Vienna Contents A Word of Introduction 7 Foreword 9 Preface to the English Edition 11 I. Introduction 13 a. The Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians and its 15 activities 2010–2013 b. Sources, literature, research, methods 23 II. TheLiechtensteinsinthecourseoftime 27 a. The Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age (c. 1100–1805) 29 b. The 19th Century 48 c. The 20th Century 59 III. Mainissues 71 a. Sites of memory and constructing a historical image 73 of Liechtenstein b. The Liechtensteins and art 93 c. Land reform and confiscatio 130 IV. Conclusions 171 a. Summary theses 173 b. Desiderata and possible further steps 180 c. Prospects 183 Appendix 185 a. Archival sources 187 b. Source editions 192 c. Literature 194 Workshops and publications 229 a. Workshops 231 b. Publications by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians 240 Index 243 5 A Word of Introduction This joint summary report by the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians represents an important milestone in the relations between both of our countries. On the one hand, the Commission of Historians examined the joint history of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, as well as the House of Liechtenstein, while on the other, they looked at the relations between both our countries in the 20th century. The commission’s findings have contributed greatly towards better mutual under- standing and have created a valuable basis for the continued cooperation between the two countries. The depth and thoroughness of this three-year work by the Commission of Historians is impressive, and this extensive publication sheds light on the remark- able and still visible mark that the House of Liechtenstein left behind on Bohe- mia, Moravia and Silesia. The Commission of Historians also examined complex periods in the relations between our two countries and identified issues which both sides see differently. It is therefore incumbent on both of our countries to assess the wide-ranging results of the Commission of Historians and make them accessible to the general public so as to deepen our mutual understanding and overcome stereotypes. We share the Commission’s opinion that we should build on the positive aspects of our shared history. The Commission of Historians’ work represents the public image of the positive development in the relations on both sides following the re-establishment of diplomatic ties on 8 September 2009. Political, economic and cultural coope- ration has reached a remarkable level over a relatively short period of time. The atmosphere of trust creates room for even more fundamental cooperation and allows for current issues of interest to be studied in more depth. Jan Kohout Aurelia Frick Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Vaduz / Prague, 13th January 2014 7 Foreword Following three years of work the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Histo- rians presented its summary report to the people and governments of the Czech Republic and the Principality of Liechtenstein. In 2009 the Czech Republic and Liechtenstein established diplomatic ties, thus ameliorating a situation which had lasted since 1945. In 2010 the governments of both countries established a commission of historians in order to examine the development of relations within the context of their rich history to the present day. The basis of this report, which concluded the work of the Commission of Historians in 2013, was formed by four, two-day academic workshops which were attended by between twelve and eighteen speakers; this yielded the publication of four books of conference proceedings with around sixty essays in a German and a Czech edition. In addition, several academic projects were commissioned which were either published as part of the conference volumes (projects commissioned from the Czech contingent of the Commission), or as an independent publication (the Liechtenstein contingent of the Commission). The results of the projects were also included in the conference proceedings. Three German-language research volumes were additionally published from the Liechtenstein work. Commission members also carried out their own research work. They also collaborated with various specialists and institutions, which mainly included archives, museums and universities in Brno (Brünn) and Prague. Throughout the period, the Commission was involved in discussing and assessing various issues regarding Czech-Liechten- stein relations. The Commission has presented the summary report in a concise, compact and readable form in four main chapters. The Introduction (Chapter 1) contains the basis, assignment and mandate of the Czech-Liechtenstein Commission of Historians, as well as describing its activities from 2010 to 2013, the character and scope of the sources and literature, and a summary of the methods used. A historical overview of the Princely House of Liechtenstein (chapter II) guides the reader through its ancestral history from the Middle Ages to the pres- ent, following the continuity as well as historical upheavals that it experienced, especially in the 17th and 20th centuries. From the 18th century on, the Liechten- steins were also the reigning princes of the Principality of Liechtenstein, which meant that Czech-Liechtenstein relations took on the character of relations be- tween two states. 9 In the chapter entitled Main Issues (chapter III), historical images and stereo- types are looked at as “sites of memory”, which interconnect Liechtenstein and the Lands of