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| Photo: ČTK / Peřina Luděk |
Prince Hans-Adam II is currently on a visit to the Czech Republic where he took part in the presentation of a book featuring a collection of lectures delivered at an international scientific conference about the House of Liechtenstein and the Czech Republic (or so I assume because I can't make out the title of the book in the pictures and it isn't specifically mentioned in the articles). The event took place in the Moravian city of Olomouc.
The history of Liechtenstein(ers) and what today is the Czech Republic is a complicated one. As you may recall,
the Prince of Liechtenstein as well as 37 other Liechtenstein citizens
lost their Czechoslovakian properties partly after the First World War due to a land reform and partly after the end of the Second World War based on the Beneš decrees
as they were deemed German
because of speaking German. As a result the Principality and the Czech Republic only established diplomatic relations in 2009.
During his stay in Olomouc Prince Hans-Adam said that he thinks that the relations between the two countries have been successfully developed since their establishment in 2009. He, however, acknowledged that the the confiscation of properties of many of his country’s inhabitants that has not been accompanied by financial compensation still burdens relations between Liechtenstein and the Czech Republic.
The Prince explained that the problem shouldn't be resolved in court but instead on a political level. While he understands that many of the properties cannot be given back as new houses have been built on them, he believes that the simplest way would be to return of properties that are returnable. Prince Hans-Adam added that his family would both have the know-how and the financial resources to restore properties, such as castles, palaces and their furnishings, would they be returned to the Princely Family.
Pictures of the day can be found at ČTK. This was already the (at least) second visit of the Prince to Olomouc as he already visited the local Velké Losiny Castle where his grandfather spent parts of his life in 2010; pictures of that visit can be found on the castle's website.
Source: Prague Post
