History of Liechtenstein

Flag of Liechtenstein

Topographic map of Liechtenstein

This article describes the history of Liechtenstein . The current state of Liechtenstein emerged in 1719 from the County of Vaduz and the Lordship of Schellenberg , which had been under joint administration since 1434. Since then, the Princes of Liechtenstein have ruled the 160 km² area on the Alpine Rhine .

prehistory

Attempted reconstruction of the late antique fort in Schaan (4th century AD)

Archaeological finds on the Gutenberg and on the Eschnerberg ( Borscht site ) show that today's territory of Liechtenstein has been populated since the Neolithic Age (5th millennium BC). Cult figures made of bronze have been discovered on the Gutenberg . Since the valley was often flooded by the Rhine and was therefore marshy, only the higher areas were populated.

Since the 8th century BC The area was settled by Rätern ( Vennonen ). There are also Celtic ( Vindeliker ) influences detectable. The Celts, however, settled more west of the Alpine Rhine .

Roman Empire

In the year 15 BC The area of ​​today's principality became part of the new Roman province of Raetia . In the 1st century AD, an army road was built that led from Italy over the Splügen and Chur through today's Liechtenstein to Bregenz. Roman rest houses ( mansio ) were built along this road in Liechtenstein . It is not yet clear whether the settlement or road station Magia registered on the Tabula Peutingeriana was in what is today the municipality of Balzers . Over time, the native language mingled with the Roman language, Latin . The Romansh language emerged from this . The old Rhaetian language , however, died out.

Christianization began in the province of Churrätia in the 4th century . Saint Lucius was worshiped as the first messenger of faith . The remains of a small fort in Schaan , whose occupation was supposed to secure the Roman road against the northern Alemanni , are reminiscent of the time of the late Roman Empire . The area around the former fort later formed the medieval settlement core of Schaan.

middle Ages

Owned by the Counts of Werdenberg and Montfort in the 14th century

The Rhine Valley before the founding of the Helvetic Republic (1798). The strategic importance of the Rhine Valley was also recognized in the Old Confederation. Large parts of the area on the left bank of the Rhine were jointly administered by several estates (cantons); see common rule .

The church in Bendern played an important role in the history of Liechtenstein. It was owned by the St. Luzi Monastery in Chur.

In 1499 the Vaduz fortress was set on fire by the Confederates. Ludwig von Brandis was taken prisoner. From 1505 the castle was a fortress of the Habsburgs

Before the Rhine was regulated, the river was several hundred meters wide. View from Wartenstein to the Liechtensteiner Ellhorn near Balzers. Maienfeld is on the right in the picture. The road leads to the St. Luzisteig, the only connection between Chur and Feldkirch on the right bank of the Rhine.

Early middle ages

After the Roman Empire fell apart, Alemanni immigrated to what is now Liechtenstein. In the 8th century Raetia was incorporated into the Frankish Empire . Under Charlemagne , the Franconian district constitution was introduced in 806 . In 842, places and people from today's principality were listed for the first time, including Balzers , Schaan and Eschen ( Rätische Urbar , where all royal goods were recorded).

Counties

Between the 10th century and 1152 Raetia belonged to the Count of Bregenz . After the Counts of Bregenz died out, the former Raetia was split up by dividing inheritance.

The sub-council therefore went to the Counts of Montfort , who later split up into the Montfort and Werdenberg lines . The county of Werdenberg was divided up again, so the county of Vaduz was created through an inheritance division in 1342 . Hartmann III is considered the first Count of Vaduz . from Werdenberg-Sargans . Some scholars see this treaty as the actual founding act of today's Principality of Liechtenstein. The partition contract was on May 3, 1342 by Hartmann III. and his brother Rudolf IV von Werdenberg-Sargans signed.

1379 gave King Wenceslas the Count Heinrich von Werdenberg the jurisdiction . 1396 the County of Vaduz is reichsunmittelbar , confirmed by the King Wenceslas, and therefore under the Emperor directly. This made it possible to build up state sovereignty. In the centuries that followed, the rulers of Vaduz were repeatedly confirmed to be imperial direct. The imperial immediacy was granted because today's area of ​​Liechtenstein was on an important highway over the Alps. Since the Rhine Valley was marshy and often flooded, the St. Luzisteig between Balzers and Maienfeld, which belongs to the Free State of the Three Leagues, was the only safe traffic connection on the right bank of the Rhine. The only safe connection on the left bank of the Rhine was the Schollbergstrasse , which is controlled by the Swiss Confederation .

Formation of today's state border

The Counts of Vaduz died out in 1416. The Barons von Brandis , who came from the Emmental , followed as rulers . As early as 1399, Wolfhart IV von Brandis had received the county of Vaduz from the Vaduz counts as pledge. 1416 then the rule of Schellenberg. The Counts of Vaduz Heinrich V. von Werdenberg-Sargans , and Rudolf VI. von Werdenberg-Sargans were the stepbrothers of Wolfhart IV . His son Wolfhart V. von Brandis also acquired the northern part of the Schellenberg rule , the Eschnerberg , between 1430 and 1437 . He was married to Verena von Werdenberg-Heiligenberg-Bludenz , a descendant of the last Count of Toggenburg, Friedrich VII of Toggenburg . In 1437, the Oberland (the Baron von Brandis) and the Unterland (the Schellenberg rule) were united. The borders of these two dominions form today's border of the Principality of Liechtenstein.

You shouldn't imagine the Rhine in the Middle Ages as it is today. Today it runs in a canal with meter-high dikes. In the Middle Ages, the Rhine took up almost the entire width of the Rhine Valley. Today it is channeled and the border is clearly visible. In the Middle Ages it consisted of side arms of different sizes in which islands were located. It was a meadow landscape, i.e. areas that were flooded during floods. This mostly happened during the snowmelt in spring. During these times the picture and the flow behavior could change completely. From the year 1480 it is reported that the Rhine broke the watershed between the Rhine and Walensee and flooded the Walensee. Parts of the Rhine thus flowed into the Aare . In any case, the valley turned into a large lake. Between Trübbach bei Schollberg and Balzers it was 1200 meters wide. At low tide the Rhine could be waded through without any problems. The Rhine Valley was primarily used by the neighboring communities for grazing cattle. But fields were also created. Liechtenstein and Swiss communities used the Rhine floodplains and drove their cattle through the shallow water into the floodplain landscape. Both sides also tried to win solid ground from the Rhine. Protective structures were built to push the Rhine to the other bank. Such protective structures were called "Wuhren" and often led to disputes between the villages on both sides of the Rhine. The disputes had to be resolved by arbitration tribunals. There is a large number of documents dealing with these arbitral tribunals. The sovereigns were mostly only marginally involved in these disputes. It was the village cooperatives who pushed the construction of the "Wuhren", mostly uncoordinated and without a plan. The chairmen of the arbitral tribunals were named chairmen. The chairman for the arbitral tribunals was provided by the Swiss estates Zurich, Lucerne, Uri or Schwyz if the rulers of Vaduz or Schellenberg or their subjects were plaintiffs. Complained the federal or Graubünden side, z. B. the Glarus stand (the stand was owned by the County of Werdenberg ) then the chairman should come from the cities of Constance , Radolfzell , Feldkirch or Bregenz . There were dozens of arbitration proceedings in the late Middle Ages and early modern times. Disputes over "Wuhren" were the order of the day.

There were no permanent bridges over the Rhine between today's Liechtenstein and the Swiss Confederation. Until the 19th century a single bridge over the Rhine, which gave 1529 built Tardisbrücke at Malan . But this was controlled by the Three Leagues . But there were ferry connections: one between Trübbach and Balzers, one between Bendern and Haag and one between Ruggell and Salez . These were of great economic and transport-political importance. Even when the water was low, the Rhine valley could not be crossed by carts. The ground was too wet and not resilient enough for that. Temporary makeshift bridges were also built, which were mostly swept away by floods in spring. Various communities owned areas on both sides of the Rhine, or on both sides of the strongest branch of the Rhine, which officially served as a reference point for the border. For example, the villages on the left bank of the Rhine, Sennwald, Salez and Haag belonged to the parish in Benders. To the north of it, the Lustenau and Kriessern courts comprised areas on both sides of the Rhine. Many did not see the Rhine as a border.

The parish of Benders played a special role. As already mentioned, the area of ​​the parish also included areas on the left-hand side of the Rhine. However, these belonged to the domain of the Barons von Sax as the rule of Forstegg . The parish of Benders was part of the St. Luzi monastery in Chur. The tithe had to be delivered to them. When the Reformation was introduced in the Church of God , the abbot of the monastery brought the monastery treasure to Feldkirch in a safe place. The abbot Theodul Schlegel was accused of high treason and executed by the Church of God. The monastery was placed under compulsory administration by the city of Chur. But the monks of St. Luzi were still active in Benders and drew the tenth of the areas on the left bank of the Rhine. In 1529 Count Ulrich Philipp von Hohensax also introduced the Reformation in his area. He was a citizen of the city of Zurich and an army leader of the Confederates. While the villages of Sennwald and Salez accepted the new faith, the church people from Haag refused to accept it and remained true to the old faith. It played a role that the Hague was more likely to belong to the “rich parish of Benders” than to the “poor parish of Salez or Sennwald”. But who was tithe to whom, after all, was intended for the spiritual care of the church? The church federation as the new ruler over the St. Luzi monastery. The parish of Benders, which was under the control of the conventuals of the monastery who had fled into exile in Feldkirch, or the churches of Sennwald and Salez that had joined the Reformation? On May 2, 1542 this question was decided in court. Count Ulrich Philipp von Hohensax presided as the supreme court lord and the court decided that the church in Benders was still entitled to the tithe. This made the situation for the Hague complex. On the one hand there was a church duty to Benders on the other hand to Salez. A compromise has been worked out. The families affected should send relatives to the Reformed church service in Salez on Friday and to the Catholic mass in Benders across the Rhine on Sunday. The situation in The Hague led to disputes lasting for decades. It was not until 1637 that the Reformation finally prevailed in Haag, after the area had finally passed to the reformed state of Zurich in 1615. Now the Rhine also formed a denominational boundary between the reformed left-Rhenish areas and the right-Rhenish areas of the principality that remained Catholic.

An important question was the territorial clarification. Who did the Rhine belong to, regardless of usage rights? This question has been resolved through arbitration tribunals and sales contracts. In the purchase contract of the estate of Zurich of the Sax-Forstegg rule in 1615, the eastern bank of the Rhine is specified as the border. When the state of Glarus bought the area of ​​the Counts of Werdenberg, the eastern bank was also specified as the border. The Landvogtei Werdenberg had the right to transport on the Rhine. The Landvogtei Sargans, which operated the ferry between Schollberg and Balzers, insisted on a border on the right bank of the Rhine. The Bailiwick of Sargans was a common rule of the Old Confederation. It was not until 1848 that this view was revised. Since then, the middle of the Rhine has formed the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Wars

The 15th century was marked by wars in Liechtenstein: the Appenzell War ( 1401–1429), the Old Zurich War (1444–1446) and the Swabian War (1498–1500). These wars brought the rulers much destruction, looting and fires. The Swabian War was of the greatest importance, since the Rhine has since been the definitive border between the Swiss Confederation and the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation . The future Principality of Liechtenstein was thus in a peripheral position for many centuries.

The Swabian War in particular brought the rulers of Vaduz and Schellenberg into great distress. After all, they were captured by the Confederates and only released after the end of the war. The first clashes of the war between Swiss and Habsburg troops took place in Balzers and Maienfeld to the south . The Barons von Brandis controlled both areas from 1438 . Maienfeld had also been a member of the Ten Court League since 1436 and was thus a member of the Three Leagues . At the beginning of February 1499 the troops of the Confederation camped in Sargans, the troops of the Swabian Federation in Balzers. On February 6th, troops of Uri Captain Heini Wolleb briefly crossed the Rhine and set fire to several houses in Balzers. The following day, the Landsknechte of the Swabian League attacked the Graubünden positions on St. Luzisteig and occupied Maienfeld. But the Bündner did not give up and attacked Maienfeld on the same day. In doing so, they routed the Swabian troops and took the castle lord Sigmund II von Brandis prisoner who, in contrast to his brother Ludwig von Brandis, refused to flee. After the reconquest of Maienfeld, the people of Graubünden stormed the fortifications of St. Luzisteig and captured Balzers. On February 12, the Confederates encamped near Sargans intervened in the fighting and defeated the imperial Swabian troops in the battle near Triesen . On February 13, the allied Graubünden and Confederation troops took Vaduz and also took Ludwig von Brandis prisoner. Ludwig von Brandis offered 20,000 guilders in negotiations for his release and for the integrity of his county of Vaduz. But the allies did not enter into such a deal and spent the night of February 13-14, first to Werdenberg , then via Rapperswil to Lucerne . His brother was imprisoned in Chur. The war was over for the Lords of Brandis, but not for their subjects. The Swabian and federal troops devastated and plundered the dominions of Vaduz and Schellenberg. On July 8th, the Diet in Lucerne dealt with the captured men. The situation was difficult. After all, they were also citizens of the Bern estate , and Bern had to ensure their safety. The Diet wanted to release them, but Ulrich von Sax , who was in the service of the Confederates, demanded an exchange of Ludwig von Brandis for the Ammann von Appenzell, Rudolf von Rappenstein , an ally of the Count von Sax, who had been captured by the imperial troops . In the meantime, the subjects had to von Schellenberg and Vaduz swear allegiance to the Confederates. After the peace treaty of Basel, the assembly decided the release of the two brothers and their reinstatement in their territories of Vaduz and Schellenberg. On December 13th, the subjects in Schellenberg and Vaduz had to swear allegiance to the Lords of Brandis again. The country was devastated by the fighting and only a few years later in 1512 the lords were sold to the Counts of Sulz from Rottweil . Ludwig Verena von Brandis' sister married into the southern German aristocratic family. The seller was the last male descendant of Brandiser Johannes von Brandis . Shortly after the sale, the Barons von Brandis died out. The purchase price was 15,000 guilders and the assumption of all debts. The situation of the Barons von Brandis had been difficult. On the one hand they were members of the Holy Roman Empire, on the other hand they were members of the Three Leagues through their rule over Maienfeld. The Drei Bünde were an allied " facing place " of the Old Confederation. They had got caught between the fronts.

On May 2, 1505 , signed Ludwig von Brandis with King Maximilian I called " open contract ". In it, the Habsburgs committed themselves to occupy the Vaduz fortress in the event of war for an annual fee of 200 guilders . It was a defense alliance. The Habsburgs took over the defense of the small landscapes on the Alpine Rhine.

Further development in the 16th century

In 1510, the last Baron von Brandis sold the dominions of Vaduz and Schellenberg to the Counts of Sulz (see Karl Ludwig zu Sulz ), who ruled Liechtenstein from the Landgraviate of Klettgau until 1613 . The predominantly Catholic county ensured that the two rulers did not come into contact with the Reformation . The times under the Counts of Sulz were considered peaceful times. The locals of both lordships were given rights, courts and could appoint a landammann and twelve judges.

In 1613 the Counts of Sulz sold the lordships of Vaduz and Schellenberg to the Counts of Hohenems , who were in the process of establishing a buffer state between Austria and Switzerland. From 1646 to 1654 the brothers Karl Friedrich von Hohenems and Franz Wilhelm I von Hohenems ruled together over the County of Hohenems, the Lordship of Schellenberg and the County of Vaduz. In 1654 they decided to divide the land. Karl Friedrich got sole rule over Hohenems, Franz Wilhelm I got sole rule over Schellenberg and Vaduz. This division of land led to the border between Austria and Liechtenstein that still exists today. Franz Wilhelm I died unexpectedly in 1662. As a result, Karl Friedrich administered the two Hohenems region once again together with Franziska Katharina von Hohenzollern-Hechingen , Franz Wilhelm I's wife . On October 20, 1675, Ferdinand Karl von Hohenems took sole control of Schellenberg and Vaduz.

Thirty Years War and Plague

In the 17th century the plague raged in the rulers. The Thirty Years' War also claimed victims, although the two gentlemen were not directly involved in the war. The Counts of Hohenems also got into debt and therefore had to sell Vaduz and Schellenberg, among others.

Serfdom, Landscapes and Cooperatives

Gross-Steg Alpine Cooperative. Within the ring of houses, the plots were assigned to the houses. Outside was cooperative territory. Today most of the buildings are used as weekend houses.

In principle, all residents of the two territories were serfs of the sovereigns. They were subject to their civil and criminal law jurisdiction, had to pay taxes and duties , and had to do labor and military service. The sovereigns secured a large part of the property. There were also other landowners such as the monastery in Pfäfers and the monastery of St. Nicolai in Chur . The residents had to pay tithing to them. Serfdom existed until 1808. However, emigration was prohibited until 1843. Unpaid labor was not abolished until 1848.

But the subjects were not entirely devoid of rights. In the 15th century, landscapes were formed in both territories . Such landscapes were also widespread in southwest Germany. They represented the subjects collectively towards the sovereign. They collected the taxes and did organizational and financial tasks. They also organized the military in the form of militias. And they also controlled the judiciary. The Landammann took over the presidency of a landscape . He was elected every two years by the male citizens. The sovereign had the right to propose. But he had to propose at least 3 subjects. In addition, the residents could choose 12 judges.

The landscapes held Landsgemeinden , that is, meetings at which important points could be voted on. The landscapes represented the subject to the sovereign and also concluded contracts with the sovereign. In the event of a conflict, they also offered resistance. In 1679 the landscapes threatened with an uprising. In 1684 the Landscapes, represented by Christoph Anger and Adam Müssner at the Reichshofrat in Vienna , sued the sovereign Ferdinand Karl von Hohenems , and they did so with success: the sovereign was deposed by the emperor, the lordships placed under foreign administration by the prince-abbot of Kempten . Usually the sovereign had to come to terms with his subjects.

The "Regalia" had a special meaning. This was given by King Wenzel to the Count of Vaduz. The word comes from the Latin "regalis" and means "royal". "Regalia" were rights that only the sovereign was entitled to. In Vaduz this was the right to hunting and fishing, customs duties, mines, forests, inns and the operation of mills. The sovereigns granted temporary concessions and levied fees and taxes for them.

In addition to the landscapes, there were the village cooperatives. These were the predecessors of the political communities. The village cooperatives regulated the cultivation of the common land. In principle, all families belonging to the village cooperative could use the common ground. The families had to have their own house and run their own household. You had to buy into a village cooperative. The cooperative assembly decided on the admission. The head of the family was entitled to vote. It could also be women, for example widows. If a member married a woman from another cooperative or from abroad, he also had to pay for it. The rights in the village cooperative were inheritable.

Private property in the villages was mostly very small. It comprised the house and a small garden. From the 17th century onwards, smaller areas were assigned to families for private use and given their property. Often these were areas close to the Rhine, in areas threatened by flooding. Land near villages was also given to families who could farm them on their own. As a rule, however, the cooperative idea had priority. At first there were no clearly defined boundaries between the village cooperatives. In the late Middle Ages these had to be laid down in writing, as disputes had arisen between the expanding villages.

The alpine cooperatives are to be distinguished from the communal cooperatives. You also had to buy into these. The shares in these were also inheritable. The alpine cooperatives owned the pastures high in the Alps that could only be used in summer. In the late Middle Ages, the village cooperatives bought almost all of the high Alpine pastures from the sovereigns. However, these continued to have the upper ownership. The Liechtenstein alpine cooperatives still exist today.

There were also rod cooperatives. These did not own any land, but regulated the haulage. Since Liechtenstein was on the international trade route from Lindau to Milan , the farmers, who had a cart and a draft animal, took over the transport of goods between Feldkirch and Maienfeld. Originally there was only one cooperative. Three were made in the 18th century. Schellenberg was responsible for the transport between Feldkirch and Schaan, Vaduz between Schaan and Balzers, Balzers for the transport to Maienfeld. The cooperatives regulated the award of contracts to the individual farmers. With the expansion of the road network, professional hauliers from Feldkirch took over the transport of the goods, often illegally. The rod cooperatives became meaningless.

Rule of the Princes of Liechtenstein

Purchase of the dominions by the princes of Liechtenstein

The Liechtenstein family

→ Main article : House of Liechtenstein

Historical

The Liechtenstein Princely House is one of the oldest noble families in Europe. Around 1136, Hugo von Liechtenstein was first mentioned as a bearer of this name. He named himself after Liechtenstein Castle , which is located south of Vienna. The material for this castle comes from a Roman quarry, from where the name light stone could come from. As a result, the Liechtenstein family owned many lands in Lower Austria , Bohemia and Moravia . There is also documentation of an Ulrich von Liechtenstein , a Middle High German poet in the 13th century.

Purchase of imperial property

Liechtenstein was the southernmost member of the Swabian Empire (colored red)

In 1608 the Liechtenstein family was elevated to the rank of prince . However, in order for it to be admitted to the Imperial Council of Dukes, it needed imperial property.

On April 3, 1691 married Aloisia Josepha of Liechtenstein , the daughter of Maximilian II. Of Liechtenstein , Franz Wilhelm II. Von Hohenems , an imperial chamberlain, lieutenant and regimental commander of Emperor Leopold I . This is how Prince Johann Adam Andreas von Liechtenstein became aware of the Lords Schellenberg and Vaduz. The Counts of Hohenems found themselves in a difficult financial and political situation. The Reich execution against Count Ferdinand Karl von Hohenems was initiated in 1681 and the Prince Abbot Rupert from Kempten was commissioned to carry it out. The rule of Schellenberg and the county of Vaduz were therefore under imperial administration after the count had been deposed on June 22, 1684. The brother of Count Jakob Hannibal III, who died in 1686 . von Hohenems tried in vain to enforce his claims and to take over the administration. After a long and unsuccessful struggle against the imperial administrators, he sold the Schellenberg rule to the Prince of Liechtenstein in 1699 for 115,000 guilders and exchanged the county of Vaduz in 1712 for Bystré u Poličky (in German "Bistrau"), a town in what is now the Czech Republic . Since the county of Vaduz was imperial, the area around Bystré u Poličky was not, he received 56,000 guilders from the Liechtensteiners. The purchase price for the County of Vaduz was set at 290,000 guilders. Ferdinand Karl von Hohenems in particular was very unpopular with the population. He had squandered the wealth of the Counts of Hohenems-Vaduz. He had also personally enriched himself at witch trials.

On September 5, 1718 , the population had to pay homage to Prince Anton Florian in Bendern . The prince was represented by Hofrat Stephan Christoph Harpprecht .

On January 23, 1719 , Emperor Charles VI. his servant, Prince Anton Florian von Liechtenstein, transformed the two lordships of Vaduz and Schellenberg into an imperial principality called Liechtenstein. This day is still considered Liechtenstein's birthday today. It is also a rarity in history that the name of a state comes from a ruling family. The Principality of Liechtenstein became the 343rd member state of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation .

Although the Prince of Liechtenstein ruled the country, he did not know it. He continued to live in Vienna and had Liechtenstein administered by provincial bailiffs - in the spirit of absolutism , which led to conflicts with the population.

Liechtenstein was the southernmost member of the Swabian Empire .

Obtaining sovereignty under Napoleon

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Austrian 3 Kreuzer postage stamp canceled in Vaduz on September 24, 1850

Swabian children in Ravensburg 1895. Liechtenstein children were also sent to work in Upper Swabia. Their labor was auctioned off at the highest-bidding "children's markets".

The Schaan-Vaduz station on the Feldkirch – Buchs railway line, which opened on October 24, 1872 and was electrified in 1926

The 48-meter-long tunnel, built in 1867, was the first passable connection to Steg. In 1899 the rotten wooden structure was replaced by masonry.

Liechtenstein became a theater of war for the last time when the French under Napoléon Bonaparte crossed Liechtenstein in 1799 to besiege the nearby Feldkirch . In March of this year, 3,000 infantry, 278 officers and 1,613 cavalrymen of the French army under General André Masséna crossed the Rhine and took up quarters in Balzers. On March 5, they successfully attacked the nearby Grisons fortress St. Luzisteig from Liechtenstein territory, which had been held by Austrian troops under General Franz Xaver von Auffenberg since October 1798 . On May 14, 1799, the Swiss general in Austrian service Friedrich von Hotze succeeded in recapturing the fortress, also from Liechtenstein territory. Liechtenstein and especially Balzers suffered heavily from the billeting of Austrian, French and Russian troops. In October 1799, the defeated army of Russian general Alexander Suvorov crossed the country. The situation worsened in 1800 with the spread of foot and mouth disease and periods of drought.

Building of the Liechtenstein Parliament.

Seat of the Liechtenstein government

On July 12, 1806, the principality gained its sovereignty by being admitted to the Rhine Confederation after the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation had been dissolved. It was a political gesture by Napoleon to the ruling Prince Johann I Josef .

From February 1815, Liechtenstein was represented at the Congress of Vienna by the Russian Vice Chancellor Georg Walter Vincent von Wiese . The Congress accepted Liechtenstein as an independent small state in the German Confederation . Liechtenstein thus became the only small German state besides Luxembourg that has been able to maintain its sovereignty to this day.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Liechtenstein's economic isolation became a disadvantage as its neighboring states gradually industrialized. The high tax burden on the state also had an obstacle. Progressive reforms were rejected by the prince. In the European revolutionary year of 1848, a revolution threatened Liechtenstein too; but in the end it stayed with absolutism.

Even so, there was progress. In 1803 , the first smallpox vaccination was carried out in Liechtenstein. In 1805 compulsory schooling was introduced, in 1807 a tax code was passed, in 1808 the political communities in Liechtenstein were created in the current sense and serfdom was finally abolished. In 1809 a land register was introduced, in 1811 a lot of common land was privatized. In 1812 the General Civil Code of Austria was adopted. On September 1, 1817 , the first mail collection point was finally opened by the Imperial and Royal Austrian Post Office in Balzers. Liechtenstein was thus connected to the Austrian postal network. In 1845 a letter collection point followed in Vaduz.

On the other hand, many Liechtensteiners emigrated overseas in the 19th century. Others left the country temporarily as guest workers. They work as seasonal workers and builders throughout Europe and in North Africa. As Swabian children, many children were taken to southern Germany from spring to autumn, where they were employed by the farmers. Their labor was offered on “children's markets” in Upper Swabia and the Swabian Alb . Often the woman had to take care of the agriculture on her own, which was used for self-sufficiency. At the beginning of the 19th century, Liechtenstein was considered a poor house.

Upswing and Constitution

Due to a customs treaty with Austria-Hungary in 1852, the economy, with a focus on the textile industry, ran better. In 1858 Johann II became Prince of Liechtenstein. He ruled the principality for 71 years until his death in 1929. In 1861, Liechtenstein received its first bank. In 1862 a new constitutional constitution came into force, which provides for the state parliament to represent the people . The prince continued to rule the country, but the state parliament could no longer be passed over in the legislation. The first newspaper appeared in the same year. After Liechtenstein's vote for a mobilization of the armed forces against Prussia was cast in the Federal Assembly of the German Confederation, Prince Johann II subordinated the Liechtenstein troops of 80 men to Austria on June 28, 1866. The government in Vaduz only wanted the Liechtenstein contingent to be used by a federal decision and sent the head of government Karl Haus von Hausen to Frankfurt to clarify the question. On July 1st, Austria ordered the Liechtensteiners to march out on July 7th, which sparked a heated debate in the state parliament and a protest by members of parliament against the march. After discussions between the Landtag and the Prince, during which Johann II finally promised on July 25th that the Liechtenstein soldiers would not actually be forced to take part in an unspeakable fratricidal war , but would, in consultation with the Emperor of Austria, secure his border against Italy, marched the quota on July 26th. The fighting with Italian troops near Bormio , which was expected on August 11, did not take place. After six weeks of deployment, the soldiers returned home without a combat mission.

After the dissolution of the German Confederation in 1866, the military was abolished in 1868 , which until then had been a major financial burden. Tourism began at the end of the 19th century. The textile industry mainly offered jobs for women, but hardly for men. As a result, many emigrated to America. In 1870 the ferry connection between Balzers and Wartau was replaced by a wooden bridge. On October 24, 1872, Liechtenstein was finally connected to the rail network, after a contract between Switzerland, Austria-Hungary, Bavaria and Liechtenstein had been signed on August 27, 1870 to build a railway line between Feldkirch and Buchs . In 1864 the Samina valley was opened up by a road, and in 1867 a first tunnel was built as a crest tunnel at an altitude of 1,430 meters. This enabled Steg , the Saminatal and Malbun to be opened up for tourism.

First World War and consequences

Liechtenstein remained neutral during World War I , but was badly hit by the economic sanctions against Austria. The textile factories were shut down and the population suffered from hunger. Inflation made savings worthless. The call for a democratic constitution grew , most recently thanks to the Christian Social People's Party founded in 1918 and the Progressive Citizens' Party . The constitution, with direct democratic elements such as a popular initiative and referendum , came into force in 1921 after negotiations between the prince and the state parliament.

Partnership with Switzerland

Liechtenstein emergency money

Infantry bunker on the Swiss side of the border between Sevelen and Vaduz

The striking summit of the Ellhorn was the biggest problem for the Swiss Army. She wanted to develop the Ellhorn into a fortress. In 1949 the mountain was ceded to Switzerland by Liechtenstein.

For centuries, the St. Luzisteig Fortress was the only passage from the Austrian Rhine Valley to the Alpine crossings of the San Bernardino Pass and Splügen Pass and was created by the Three Leagues . Today the fortress is used by the Swiss Army.

The fortress in Ellhorn as seen from the A13 motorway. The openings for the PAK and loopholes for the machine guns of the fortress can hardly be seen. The whole complex is very well camouflaged.

Nowadays the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland is no longer monitored thanks to the customs agreement. Both countries are members of the Schengen Agreement . In the picture the Rhine bridge between Trübbach and Balzers .

After the collapse of the Austrian monarchy, the customs treaty was terminated in 1919. In 1923, Liechtenstein concluded a customs treaty with Switzerland. The Liechtenstein emergency money introduced in 1919 was replaced in 1924 in favor of the Swiss franc . The Swiss border guards took over the duties of the Liechtenstein border guards , securing the borders. In the following decades, further treaties were concluded with Switzerland and its cantons . As a result, there is now a close partnership between Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Since 1923 the border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein can be freely crossed (exception Second World War).

In 1929, Prince Franz I of Liechtenstein came to power after the death of his predecessor. After his death in 1938, Prince Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein took over the scepter, a godchild of Emperor Franz Josef I. The Prince, who was born in Styria , ruled the country for 51 years until his death in 1989. He was the first of the Liechtenstein family who no longer lived in Vienna, but at Vaduz Castle in Liechtenstein. The princes lived in Vienna and Moravia until 1938. They held important functions in the military and in diplomacy under the Habsburg monarchy and administered their extensive property in Lower Austria, Bohemia, Silesia and Moravia. On May 29, 1939 , Franz Josef II received homage from the people . As part of this homage, the new head of state vowed to govern the country in accordance with the law and the constitution. In addition, Franz Josef II announced that he would permanently move his residence to Vaduz. Over 10,000 Liechtenstein citizens took part in the celebrations in Vaduz.

Additional Swiss border guards were on duty at the border with Austria after Liechtenstein asked for it on March 11, 1938 when Austria was annexed , while Switzerland deployed several border guard companies to protect the Rhine border. From 1939 to 1948 the border was guarded and controlled by Swiss army units. It could no longer be freely exceeded. Liechtenstein and Swiss citizens require a valid ID, foreigners a valid visa. In the event of an attack on Liechtenstein, the Swiss border guards that secured the border between Liechtenstein and Austria would have withdrawn behind the Liechtenstein-Swiss border. They had no mandate from Bern to defend Liechtenstein.

The relationship between Switzerland and Liechtenstein was not without tension. As early as 1934, Switzerland showed an interest in buying Ellhorn , which belongs to the municipality of Balzers . The Swiss Army described the Ellhorn as their biggest problem. They planned to fortify the Ellhorn as part of the Sarganser fortress belt with bunkers and equip it with anti-tank weapons. In 1938 an exchange of territory failed due to an unofficial veto by Germany. On behalf of Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop , the German Foreign Office informed the Swiss Political Department in April that Germany would regard the inclusion of Liechtenstein in Swiss national defense as a measure directed against the Reich and would not agree to a neutralization of the Principality . The Swiss government rejected an offer to Switzerland to lease the area. Leasing it would run counter to Switzerland's neutrality. After the Second World War, Switzerland made a new attempt to gain control over this strategically important area. In doing so, she threatened to unilaterally terminate the customs treaty. Although the population of Balzer rejected an exchange of territory in a non-binding vote on November 21, 1948 with 304 to 4 votes, the Liechtenstein state parliament approved an agreement with Switzerland on the Ellhorn with 10 to 5 votes. The municipality of Balzers received 450,000 square meters of land from the municipality of Fläsch in the area of ​​the Mälsner Allmein and the Fläscher Riet on August 15, 1949 as part of the land exchange. In addition, Switzerland released Liechtenstein debts of 1,800,000 francs and paid the municipality of Balzers an additional compensation of 412,000 francs. For this, Switzerland received the Ellhorn, which was immediately fortified with an infantry bunker (A 6229) ⊙ and a battle cavern (A 6224) ⊙ . From 1940 to 1985 the Swiss Army maintained the Tschingel artillery plant east of the Ellhorn , which tactically belonged to the Magletsch Fortress near Sargans .

Problems were also caused by the Swiss army's practice at the St. Luzisteig Fortress arsenal . The nearby Liechtenstein municipality of Balzers repeatedly complained about the noise pollution. There were always major forest fires, especially in the forests of the municipality of Balzers on Swiss territory. Balzers owns larger forest areas west of the practice area in the area of ​​the Grisons municipality of Fläsch . During forest fires in 1960 and 1985, large parts of Balzer's forest property went up in flames as a result of shooting exercises, as those responsible had misjudged the wind. On December 5, 1985, 1,000 firefighters had to fight the forest fires that had started by the foehn . The fire penetrated up to 30 meters from the village of Balzers. 100 hectares of spruce and pine forest were destroyed. The forest was completely reforested at the expense of the Swiss Army. However, Balzers was never able to assert himself with the demand for a complete shooting ban on the gun area.

On March 2, 2007, an incident worth mentioning occurred. 170 heavily armed Swiss soldiers (another source reports 400 soldiers) marched several kilometers into Liechtenstein territory. The Swiss simply got lost in the dark. A more serious incident occurred in the autumn of 1968. At that time, the artillery units of the Sarganser fortress belt fired five training grenades on the area of ​​Liechtenstein due to a technical malfunction. The shells exploded in the Malbun district of the Liechtenstein municipality of Triesenberg . On the other hand, the Swiss Army is helping the Liechtenstein authorities. A large-scale exercise by the Swiss Army took place in Liechtenstein in June 2013. In the exercise «Kombi 13», a flood of the century was simulated in the municipality of Ruggell . Over 1000 soldiers from Territorial Region 4 took part in the exercise. Legally, the "Kombi 13" exercise was based on the agreement on mutual aid in the event of disasters or serious accidents that Liechtenstein had concluded with Switzerland. A similar exercise took place in 2018.

After the integration of Liechtenstein into the Swiss national defense failed in 1938 due to the German veto, Switzerland tried to forestall Liechtenstein in other areas. With the exception of “ethnic German-oriented circles”, most of the Liechtensteiners wanted a closer reference to Switzerland. The previous connection was rather one-sided. Swiss companies, traders and hauliers could do business in Liechtenstein without any problems. But the same did not apply to Liechtenstein companies. Liechtenstein employees also had little access to the Swiss labor market. And this access was tightened again at the beginning of 1938. Many consider the restrictions in Switzerland to be one of the reasons that «people oriented towards the people of Germany» gained popularity among the Liechtenstein population. On May 9, 1938, the Federal Political Department announced that the cantons of St. Gallen, Thurgau, Zurich and Graubünden would prefer to employ Liechtenstein unemployed people. On June 28, Switzerland agreed to grant Liechtenstein residents living in Switzerland the same social rights as Swiss employees. In 1939, Liechtenstein was able to take part in the Swiss National Exhibition for the first time. July 16, 1939 was declared "Liechtenstein Day".

After signing the Swiss-Liechtenstein Postal Agreement, the Swiss PTT was responsible for issuing broadcasting station licenses. This did not want any private, advertising-financed radio stations. However, the Liechtenstein government wanted to issue a license for such a transmitter. A powerful medium wave transmitter would bring the government between 200,000 and 300,000 francs annual income. After years of unsuccessful negotiations, after the annexation of Austria on March 16, 1938, Bern agreed to approve a Liechtenstein transmitter. The concession was given to an English company, the Roditi International Cooperation, which belonged to the British Jew William Kenmore. The station called “Radio Liechtenstein” went on the air in September 1938 and broadcast until September 1939. After the outbreak of war, the broadcasts were stopped due to pressure from Germany. They had threatened to bomb the Jewish-owned station. It was described as a "British-Jewish enemy station", although the broadcasting line tried very hard not to provoke the Germans.

After the Austrian Anschluss, the Liechtensteiner Sparkasse got into trouble. Investors withdrew their money and instead invested it in Swiss banks. On December 12th, the Federal Council granted a loan of 2 million francs to rescue the Liechtenstein bank. Further approximations and equality were only implemented hesitantly on the Swiss side. The Liechtenstein border was only 2.5 kilometers from the Sargans train station. The Swiss needed pressure to get the Ellhorn.

Liechtenstein's naturalization policy also caused tensions with Switzerland. Liechtenstein granted citizenship to wealthy foreigners against payment of high fees. Although a three-year residence requirement was made mandatory in 1934, exceptions were allowed and these exceptions became the rule. Switzerland criticized this and called the procedure "fraud". Until 1939, the citizens' assembly of the municipality, at which the application was made, determined the naturalization. The application then had to be submitted to the state parliament and the government for a “preliminary examination”. A large number of the naturalized were German and Austrian Jews. In the whole of 1939 48 people were naturalized. The cost was enormous. At the beginning of 1939, an applicant paid a fee of 132,500 francs for himself and his three children and had to leave a deposit of 30,000 francs with the savings bank. On July 5, 1939, the government established the naturalization practice in writing to the Federal Political Department. Municipalities and the government simply needed the income from the fees. After all, 40% of the state government's income was generated through such taxes. A compromise was agreed. Newly naturalized Jews could be refused entry into Switzerland, and they were also not entitled to representation by the Swiss embassies. The naturalized were thus «second class citizens».

The visit of Prince Franz Josef II to Berlin on March 2, 1939 also caused tensions with the Confederation. The visit was carried out by the Princely House and the government without the official participation of the Swiss Embassy in Berlin. According to treaties, Switzerland represented Liechtenstein abroad. Franz Josef II wanted to pay an official visit to Berlin in April 1938. But the German side showed little interest in a meeting between the Führer Adolf Hitler and the Crown Prince. It was not until Franz Josef II officially became Prince of Liechtenstein that the German government could no longer refuse a visit from a head of state. On Wednesday, March 1, 1939, the Prince, Prime Minister Hoop and his deputy Vogt got into a German saloon car in Feldkirch with some secretaries. They drove to Berlin via Munich and Prague. At 12.30 there was an official reception in the New Reich Chancellery. Little is known about the meeting. Official documents do not exist. Hitler did not seem to have shown much interest in Liechtenstein. Important topics such as the Ellhorn question, the rapprochement between Liechtenstein and Switzerland and the property of the Princely House in Austria and the Czech Republic were apparently not discussed. The Volksdeutsche movement in Liechtenstein and the demand for an annexation of Liechtenstein to the German Reich were apparently not addressed either. Apparently Hitler only gave a lecture on the "Jewish question". The Liechtenstein delegation left again on March 4, 1939 without any concrete results. Shortly after the visit, the participating cabinet secretary Rupert Ritter suggested the creation of a Liechtenstein embassy in Berlin. The idea was quickly rejected. Switzerland did not find out about this idea.

The next state elections were planned for 1940 . In 1938, the two major Liechtenstein parties, the Progressive Citizens' Party in Liechtenstein FBP and the Fatherland Union VU, decided on a party peace. The politicians of both parties wanted to prevent the National Socialist Volksdeutsche movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) from gaining strength . They decided to run a joint list at the next election. The FBP had 8 seats on the list, the VU 7. The list allowed for a silent election . If a list received more than 80% of the votes of the last election, a silent election can be carried out, even if other parties submit further lists for election, stipulated the electoral law at that time. At the request of both parties, the prince dissolved parliament on March 11, 1939 and ordered new elections. The FBP and the VU submitted their joint list on March 17, 1939. A referendum against the silent election was possible within 2 weeks. 400 signatures were required for this. However, it was impossible for the VDBL to submit its own list or to provide the signatures within the short time. About 1400 ethnic Germans lived in the principality and about 700 sympathized with the VDBL, but not all of them had citizenship or wanted to show with their signature that they sympathized with the National Socialists. VU was the big winner of this silent election . After the last election, the pro-German party provided 4 members of the state parliament, and 7 after the silent election. On April 6, the prince declared the new state parliament to have been elected, without an election having taken place. The silent election was one of the reasons for the attempted coup by the VDBL during this time.

On March 24, 1939, the VDBL tried to instigate a coup , but it failed. In the literature it is referred to as a "Anschluss putsch", as the putschists demanded "our country should be separated from the Swiss economic structure that has become impossible and connected to the German economic area" and "the complete liberation of our country from the Jews". The leader of the coup attempt was the Schaan engineer Theodor Schädler , the operations manager of the Lawena power plants , and Hubert Hoch , the accountant of the power plants. The putsch was planned in Feldkirch together with the National Socialists. A group of 200-300 men from the VDBL was supposed to cause a "hype" in Vaduz with a large demonstration. The aim was to provoke clashes with Nazi opponents. The members of the VDBL, who were certainly in distress, would then send a "cry for help" to the SA and NSKK in Feldkirch, which would then march into the neighboring country. The SA would arrest the government in Vaduz. The result would have been a total annexation to the Greater German Reich. This was clear to the putschists. To what extent higher SA, SS and Gestapo agencies in Austria were involved in this plan cannot be said with certainty. May have been Franz Hofer , the Gauleiter of Vorarlberg-Tirol, and the middle management of the Gestapo in Vorarlberg by these plans informed. It can be ruled out with certainty that Adolf Hitler or the leadership in Berlin knew of this plan.

The coup was originally planned for Wednesday, March 22, 1939. In Feldkirch 600 armed SA and NSKK armed men were ready to invade Liechtenstein. But the VDBL hesitated to implement the plan. The VDBL activists met in Nendeln, Schaan and Triesen for meetings to discuss the plan and coordinate details. The late Friday evening was set as the new date. The appointment seemed to be favorable, as the prince was in Zurich in the hospital because of a stomach ailment. And the government chairman Josef Hoop was on vacation in Lugano in Ticino . The postponement of the date and the meetings meant that the «element of surprise» was lost. The march of the SA and NSKK in Feldkirch did not go unnoticed. Employees of the Deutsche Reichsbahn reported the planned "surprise attack" to Swiss authorities in St. Margrethen . The deputy head of government Dr. Alois Vogt was informed who had just returned from another visit from Germany and Basel. On Friday morning, high-ranking government representatives met in Vaduz in the government building. They asked Vogt to travel to Feldkirch immediately to meet with District Captain Ignaz Tschofen . Tschofen initially presented himself uninformed. He knew nothing of plans to invade Liechtenstein. Vogt threatened Tschofen with personal consequences. He would have a personal promise from the Führer that Liechtenstein should remain independent. The Führer would have given him his word. Tschofen then admitted that he knew of plans, but they were not of an official nature. It would be a matter of «private arbitrariness». Vogt made Tschofen promise to do everything possible to prevent the NSKK and SA's plan. On Friday evening, the VDBL activists met in further meetings to carry out the coup. Vogt had the leader of the putsch Theodor Schädler come into the government building and explained to him that the Vorarlbergers would no longer support the plan. The VDBL would stand alone and he, Vogt, would not hesitate to order the police and the Swiss Border Guard Corps to shoot the demonstrators. Meanwhile, counter-demonstrators besieged the VDBL meeting in Schaan. Counter-demonstrators and police prevented the VDBL demonstrators from marching out. In Triesen and Nendeln, the demonstrators marched towards Vaduz, accompanied by angry counter-demonstrators. In particular, the Liechtenstein government councilor Anton Frommelt from the FBP tried to persuade the demonstrators to turn back. At 10 p.m., parts of the NSKK, HJ and SA units that were on alert in Feldkirch had started moving towards the border. At the border they were received by NSDAP officials to prevent them from crossing the border. Bern had intervened at the Foreign Office in Berlin. At 10.30 p.m. the VDBL leaders learned that support would not come from Feldkirch. At midnight it was clear that the coup would fail. The VDBL demonstrators scattered in inns. At 4 a.m., 18 VDBL leaders were arrested. Berlin had also made a decision. The Führer had given a "stop order". Why the Führer prevented an annexation of Liechtenstein has not been conclusively clarified. Hitler was certainly already planning the war against Poland. It was about "living space in the east". Liechtenstein and Switzerland were not important to him. The annexation would only have endangered his grand plans if the international community had intervened against the annexation. The supporters of the VDBL, however, fully expected support from Germany. They were disappointed and no longer played a major role in the history of Liechtenstein after the coup.

The VDBL not only aimed at the annexation of Liechtenstein to Nazi Germany , but is also accused of having carried out bomb attacks against Jews. On October 31, 1938, a bomb exploded in Eschen in front of the Kreuz inn. The Jew Josef Strauss lived there. On November 18, 1938, a bomb exploded in front of the "Rheinische clothes factory" in Eschen. The owner was the Jew Richard Graetz. 18 panes were broken. On the night of November 25th to 26th, a bomb exploded in Schaan. It was for a house in which two Jewish families lived. On November 28th there was another crash in Schaan. The attack was aimed at the "Dux" inn, where Jewish guests stayed. The following day, a bomb hit the home of the Fiori and Goldstaub families. On November 30th another bomb exploded in front of the "Rheinische clothes factory", another in front of the house of the Schiftan family. The Liechtenstein police set up roadblocks and searched the apartments of the “Volksdeutsche Jugend”. No further attacks were carried out after an arrest and the raids. Most of the bombs were small and did little property damage. Fortunately, nobody was injured. The government interpreted the attacks as a protest against the Jewish refugees in the country.

Due to the events at the end of 1938, 21 men met on January 24, 1939 in the Schaan restaurant “Traube” and founded the “Liechtenstein loyalty association” under the leadership of Christoph Frommelt . This cross-party association should unite all groups loyal to Liechtenstein. It quickly developed a great deal of activity and was very popular with the population. After the failed coup, they started a signature campaign “to show foreigners that Liechtenstein's people are willing to maintain their independence”. With the signature one supported an independent Liechtenstein under the leadership of the Princely House while maintaining the economic treaties with Switzerland. Participation in power by ethnic Germans was categorically excluded. The signature campaign ended on April 2nd. 95.4 percent of those eligible to vote had signed the declaration, or 2,492 out of 2,610 voters. Women also collected signatures and submit them to the prince.

After Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, National Socialist cells or parties that openly sympathized with the National Socialists also formed in Liechtenstein. The already mentioned Volksdeutsche movement in Liechtenstein VDBL was founded in that year and also the Liechtenstein Homeland Service from which the Fatherland Union VU was to emerge in 1936 . There are many reasons for this development. On the one hand the severe economic crisis that made many Liechtenstein residents unemployed. But Switzerland's behavior also played an important role. Many Liechtensteiners felt disadvantaged by the customs treaty, especially in the Unterland, which had close economic ties with neighboring Feldkirch and Austria. Now the border was guarded and controlled by paramilitary Swiss border guards. Police units from St. Gallen and Graubünden patrolled the principality. Swiss entrepreneurs had the right to offer goods and services in the principality, while the Swiss canton of St. Gallen in particular refused to grant these rights to Liechtenstein companies and individuals. A revision of the Swiss Aliens Police Act, which was supposed to give Liechtenstein residents unrestricted access to the Swiss labor market, was not carried out until 1941 . Switzerland used the revision of this law as leverage on the Ellhorn question. The people of Balzers in particular were unwilling to give up the Ellhorn. Some Liechtensteiners also saw no point in the small state of Liechtenstein. The country was poor, one of the poorest in Europe. In short, the customs treaty with Switzerland did not lead to the hoped-for prosperity. History also played a role. The Rhine has been the border between Switzerland and Austria since the Swabian War. The population saw themselves as «German». This was particularly evident in the Liechtenstein national anthem , which until 1963 read “Above on the German Rhine - Liechtenstein leaned against the Alps. This dear homeland - in the German fatherland - has seen God's wise hand for us. ». For centuries the cooperative had been viewed more as an opponent than a friend. Foreigners also played a role. Immigrants built a settlement with magnificent villas in Vaduz above the village. Anyone who had money could buy Liechtenstein citizenship. Liechtenstein trustees and lawyers made this possible. One case in particular moved the hearts of Liechtenstein citizens in 1933. The case of Alfred Rotter and his brother Fritz , two Jewish immigrants from Berlin. And there were the Germans immigrants. Half of the 1,400 ethnic Germans in the principality sympathized with the Nazis.

After the construction of an oil pipeline in the Upper Rhine Valley in the 1960s, the St. Gallen cantonal government had big plans to develop the Rhine Valley. A large thermal power plant was planned in Rüthi by NOK Nordostschweizerische Kraftwerke AG , today's Axpo. But the project met with widespread opposition from residents on both sides of the Rhine. In 1972 they tried another attempt. This time it should be a nuclear power plant , which should supply the growing industry with electricity. But there was also broad resistance to the nuclear power plant, initially on the Vorarlberg side. This is where the action committee “Healthy Living Space Vorarlberg” was founded. On February 8, 1973, a society against the construction of the nuclear power plant was founded in Liechtenstein, the " Liechtenstein Society for Environmental Protection ", LGU for short. In 1974, 15,000 signatures were collected against the construction of the nuclear power plant. The LGU was also involved in protests against the planned oil refinery in Sennwald, Switzerland, another major project of the St. Gallen government. On the Swiss side, there was initially little resistance to the plans to build the nuclear power plant. It was not until autumn 1974 that the “Cantonal Initiative against the Irresponsible Building of Nuclear Power Plants” was founded. In November 1974 the Swiss Federal Councilor Willi Ritschard declared that the Federal Council would approve the construction of the nuclear power plant. Protests came primarily from Austria and Liechtenstein. Austria decided to phase out nuclear power on November 5, 1978. In Switzerland, another alliance called “Atomkraftwerke No” was founded in Altstätten in June 1975 , some of which organized militant protests against the nuclear power plant. The ongoing protests by the local residents showed fruit. The plans for both construction projects have been postponed indefinitely. With the law on the “energy transition”, which the Swiss Bundestag passed in 2011, the issue of “Rüthi nuclear power plant” should be settled.

On September 25, 1927 , the Rhine flooded. Driftwood got wedged in the railway bridge of the Austrian Federal Railways between Schaan and Buchs. The Rhine dammed up in a row and broke through the right-Rhenish dam. Large parts of the lowlands were flooded. Ruggell and parts of Gamprin and Benders had to be evacuated. Houses, streets and bridges were destroyed. The land was covered by a layer of gravel. The harvest was lost.

The hole in the dike could not be repaired until December 24, 1927. From 1927 to 1933, CHF 3½ million had to be invested in flood protection. This was only possible with a loan from Switzerland. Other countries also helped, especially Switzerland. From April to October 1928, groups from the Service Civil International led by the Swiss Pierre Cérésole supported the clean-up and repair work. Swiss scouts were also active. 710 members of the relief service, including 78 women, worked for the good cause for at least 3 weeks. Half of the volunteers came from Switzerland and 18 other countries and worked mainly in Schaan. The Swiss scouts took turns every two weeks and came from the different cantons. The scouts mostly worked in Ruggell and one group was about 100 people. The Rhine dams were increased over a length of 26.55 kilometers. The torn Rhine bridge near Schaan was rebuilt, the one at Balzers, Vaduz and Bendern was repaired. All Rhine bridges have been raised. Ruggell received its own bridge over the Rhine in 1929. The material was donated by the Swiss SBB . Prince Johann donated half of the construction costs. The Rhine catastrophe developed into a major job creation measure. And finally it was decided to build an inland canal. Switzerland was much further ahead. They had already built the Werdenberg inland canal between Trübbach and Rüthi on their left bank of the Rhine between 1882 and 1886 . The Liechtenstein Inland Canal was dug between 1931 and 1943 .

From World War II to today

→ Main article : Liechtenstein in the time of National Socialism

Liechtenstein remained neutral during the Second World War. The border to Austria was secured over a length of 14 kilometers by a 2½ meter high fence and Spanish riders . After 1942, the refugees before National Socialism only crossed the border a few more across the border from Austria to Liechtenstein . The Swiss border guards and Liechtenstein auxiliary police secured the border. Members of the Swiss army were not deployed at the border, although the Liechtenstein government had asked the Swiss government to do so. The Swiss government rejected this because of Switzerland's neutrality.

In 1945 parts of the 1st Russian National Army of the German Wehrmacht , not to be confused with the Vlasov Army , transferred to Liechtenstein territory and were not extradited to the latter despite massive pressure from the Soviet Union .

During the Second World War, new industrial companies emerged in Liechtenstein. The post-war period was also characterized by a sustained economic upturn. Liechtenstein quickly changed from a poor agricultural country to a service country. The main reasons for the upswing were the customs treaty concluded with Switzerland on March 29, 1923, the adoption of the Swiss franc and a liberal economic system combined with low taxation.

From January 1, 1972, a law stipulated that the number of foreigners living in the principality must not exceed a third of the country's total population.

In a referendum on February 9 and 11, 1972, a majority voted against women's suffrage .

After the German-German Basic Treaty came into force , diplomatic relations were established with the German Democratic Republic on June 28, 1973 , which Switzerland took over.

Liechtenstein became a member of important international organizations, including:

• 1978 - Joined the Council of Europe
• 1990 - Joined the United Nations as 160th member
• 1991 - EFTA joined
• 1995 - accession to the European Economic Area ( EEA )
• 1995 - Accession to the World Trade Organization ( WTO )

On July 1, 1984, the third attempt at voting rights for women was introduced at the state level. In the referendum on this, 2370 men were in favor, 2251 against. Liechtenstein therefore found it just as difficult to gain women's suffrage as Switzerland . The principality was the last European state to introduce women's voting rights and suffrage. In 1976 the municipalities were given the right to introduce the right to vote and the right to vote for women at the municipal level. Meanwhile, the gap between women's candidacies and their actual electoral success has narrowed. Women's chances of voting have increased.

After the death of his father Franz Joseph II, HSG graduate Prince Hans Adam II von Liechtenstein ascended the throne in Vaduz in 1989. On August 16, 2004, he handed over the official duties to his son Alois von Liechtenstein .

New constitution

In a referendum in 2003, the citizens of Liechtenstein voted for a revision of the constitution with a yes share of 64.3%. Prince Hans Adam had declared that in the event of a refusal, he would leave the country and move to Vienna. The new constitution gives the prince more power than in other European monarchies, but the people have new rights such as the removal of the prince.

The new constitution caused criticism both nationally and internationally (e.g. from the Council of Europe ), as those who were defeated in the referendum believe that democracy will be restricted thanks to a powerful princely right of veto. For this reason, the Council of Europe is conducting a dialogue with Liechtenstein on the new constitution at the request of the same groups.

On August 15, 2004, Prince Hans Adam II appointed his son, Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, as his deputy and entrusted him with the exercise of the sovereign rights to which the Prince was entitled. However, the title of prince itself only passes to the son after the father's death.

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In 2012 , the citizens of Liechtenstein voted on a popular initiative that would have restricted the right of veto of the prince or his deputy. The change in the law stipulated that they could no longer veto a decision by the people through popular initiative. The Prince could only continue to veto parliamentary resolutions. The initiative was rejected by 76.1% of the vote. The Swiss newspaper Blick reported on July 1, 2012, "For Liechtenstein citizens, an uninterrupted relationship with the royal family is more important than a bit more democracy." Hereditary Prince Alois had already emphasized in his throne speech before parliament at the beginning of March 2012 that the Princely House would withdraw from political life if the people accepted the initiative.

Influences of the present

Liechtenstein's main industry today is in the tertiary sector: banks, trustees and other financial services. As some international observers criticize, this sector is promoted by very liberal laws that virtually "invite" the gray and black market. Since there are more jobs than the locals can occupy, there are many cross-border commuters from neighboring countries in Liechtenstein . According to a study by Swissinfo on December 31, 2016, one in two of the 37,453 employees in Liechtenstein was a cross-border commuter. Of these, 55% lived in neighboring Switzerland. This high number of cross-border commuters comes from the very restrictive issuing of residence permits by the Liechtenstein authorities. For example, only five residence permits are issued to Swiss citizens per year.

Coinage

5 crown silver coin from 1900

10-franc gold coin from 1946, 2.90 g fine gold, minted according to the norm of the Latin Monetary Union

Coin minting in Liechtenstein began in 1728 under Prince Josef Johann Adam . 1½ florin corresponded to one thaler . Issues were issued in 1728 with 20 Kreuzer, ½ Thaler, 1 Thaler, 1 Ducat and 10 Ducats, 1758 with ½ Thaler, 1 Thaler and 1 Ducat and 1778 with ½ Thaler, 1 Thaler and 1 Ducat. The ducats were minted in 986 gold , all other coins from 583 silver . All coins show the right-facing bust of the respective prince on the obverse and his coat of arms on the lapel . There are numerous imitations of the ducats.

It was not until 1862, under Prince Johann II, that another type of coin was minted, a club thaler, which was designed in the same way as the previous coins and was withdrawn from circulation in 1893 at a value of 3.53 kroner.

On August 26, 1898 a currency reform was carried out. 1 florin was now the value of one Liechtenstein crown, and 100 hellers corresponded to one crown. Under Johann II. Silver coins worth 1 crown, 2 crowns and 5 crowns were issued in silver. The 10 crowns and 20 crowns coins were minted in gold. However, in contrast to the earlier issues, the obverse showed the left-facing bust of the prince on all coins. These coins were taken out of circulation on August 28, 1920 and replaced by the Liechtenstein emergency money .

Another currency conversion was carried out on May 26, 1924. The new currency was now 100 cents in 1 franc. This currency is still valid today. Johann II had coins worth ½ francs, 1 francs, 2 francs and 5 francs minted in silver. When Franz I came to power, he did not have any other coin types of this value minted, as enough silver coins from his predecessor were already in circulation. During his reign in 1930 gold coins with a value of 10 francs and 20 francs were minted. On the obverse you again show the bust of the prince to the right.

From this point onwards, Liechtenstein francs were only minted for collection purposes, as the Swiss franc became the main currency in Liechtenstein. In 1946 Prince Franz Josef II had two types of coins minted for 10 francs and 20 francs and ten years later gold coins for 25 francs, 50 francs and 100 francs. A Liechtenstein prince and his wife are shown for the first time on the obverse of these coins. For the centenary of the Liechtenstein Landesbank , two gold coins of 25 francs and 50 francs were minted, for the 50th anniversary of Franz Josef's inauguration in 1988 a silver coin of 10 francs and a gold coin of 50 francs. In 1990, on the occasion of the hereditary homage, Hans Adam II had a coin minted for 10 francs in silver and 50 francs in gold. For the 200th anniversary of the sovereignty of the principality in 2006, two types of coins were issued with the same value.

The rulers of Liechtenstein

→ Main article : List of the rulers of Liechtenstein

literature

• Liechtenstein National Archives (Ed.): Economic Crisis, National Socialism and War. Documents on Liechtenstein history between 1928 and 1950 , edited by Stefan Frey and Lukas Ospelt. Chronos, Zurich 2011, ISBN 978-3-0340-1103-7 .
• Yearbooks of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein (from 1901)
• Elisabeth Castellani Zahir: The restoration of Vaduz Castle 1904 to 1914: Castle monument preservation between historicism and modernity . Two volumes, Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein , [Vaduz] / Theiss, Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-8062-1086-1 (Dissertation University of Basel 1991/1992, Volume 1: XII, 391 pages, numerous illustrations, Volume 2: V , 298 pages, numerous illustrations).
• Peter Geiger: History of the Principality of Liechtenstein 1848 to 1866 , Zurich 1971, DNB 57022554X (dissertation University of Zurich 1971, 422 pages).
• Peter Geiger: 1866 Liechtenstein at war - 150 years ago , (Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum), Vaduz, ISBN 978-3-9524602-0-7 .
• Peter Geiger: A time of crisis. Liechtenstein in the 1930s 1928–1939 (2 volumes), 2nd edition, Chronos, Zurich 2000, ISBN 978-3-905314-17-5 .
• Peter Geiger: wartime. Liechtenstein 1939 to 1945 (2 volumes), Chronos, Zurich 2010, ISBN 978-3-0340-1047-4 .
• Christoph Maria Merki: Liechtenstein's Constitution, 1992–2003: A source and reading book , Chronos Verlag, Zurich 2015, ISBN 978-3-0340-1306-2 .
• Rupert Quaderer-Vogt: Moving Times in Liechtenstein, 1914–1926 (3 volumes), Chronos, Zurich 2014, ISBN 978-3-0340-1214-0 .

Web links

Commons : History of Liechtenstein  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• History of Liechtenstein
• Historical encyclopedia of the Principality of Liechtenstein online
• Complete story: "The ancestor of the House of Liechtenstein"
• Further legends about the ancestor of the House of Liechtenstein
• http://www.e-archiv.li/
• http://www.eliechtensteinensia.li/
• NZZ Happy people with a short past. From poor farming country to financial paradise in no time.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Roman times - Historical Lexicon. Retrieved April 18, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Liechtenstein National Library, Roger Sablonier The Werdenberg partition contract of 1342
3. ^ Karl Heinz Burmeister: Werdenberg (-Sargans-Vaduz), Hartmann III. (I.) of. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
4. ^ Karl Heinz Burmeister: Werdenberg (-Sargans-Vaduz), Heinrich V. (I.) von. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
5. ^ Karl Heinz Burmeister: Werdenberg (-Sargans-Vaduz), Rudolf VI. (I.) of. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
6. ↑ Dieter Stievermann: Brandis, Wolfhart V. (Wölflin) from. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
7. ↑ Mathias Bugg: The Rhine as connection and separation, development of a borderline in the area between Balzers / Wartau and Benders / Haag in the 15th and 16th centuries from Liechtenstein in the Middle Ages Historical seminar by Prof. Dr. Roger Sablonier
8. ^ Doris Klee Gross: The parish of Benders at the turn of the early modern period. A rural parish In the field of tension between manorial and communal interests in Vaduz and Schellenberg in the Middle Ages (page 163–210) Chronos Verlag, Zurich, ISBN 3-905312-90-5
9. ↑ Heinz Gabathaler: Medieval borders in the Alpine Rhine Valley, On the emergence of the Liechtenstein-Werdenberg Rhine border (2005), Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein
10. ^ Claudius Gurt: Rule between Fronts The Lords of Brandis and the Swiss or Swabian War 1499 Yearbook Volume 114 Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein (2005), pages 97–115
11. ^ Karl Heinz Burmeister: Opening contract. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
12. ↑ Jaqueline Heibel: The Landammänner der Herrschaft Schellenberg and Grafschaft Vaduz in the 15th and 16th centuries in Building Blocks for Liechtenstein History , Volume I, editor Arthur Brunhart, page 244.
13. ^ Rainer Vollkommen, Roland Büchel: Becoming a country 1712–2012, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum, pages 211–213
14. ^ Rainer Vollkommen, Roland Büchel: Becoming one country 1712–2012, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum, page 215
15. ^ Rainer Vollkommen, Roland Büchel: Becoming a country 1712–2012, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum, pages 225–233
16. ↑ Dominik Schatzmann: The Rodordnung of 1499 with its additions in modules for Liechtenstein history , Volume I, editor Arthur Brunhart, pages 211-238.
17. ^ Karl Heinz Burmeister: Hohenems, Jakob Hannibal III. from. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . [«The County of Vaduz was practically exchanged for Bistrau (with a profit of 56,000 guilders).»]
18. ↑ Rainer Vollkommer, Donat Büchel: The Becoming One Country , Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum, page 163
19. ↑ Reiner Vollkommer, Donat Büchel: Becoming a country , Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum, page 151
20. ↑ Ds as Tonäll information signs on the two tunnel portals. On: Wikimedia
21. ↑ ^{a b} History of the community of Balzers
22. ↑ Historical Lexicon of Liechtenstein The Principality since 1806
23. ^ Customs treaty with Austria. In: www.e-archiv.li. Retrieved October 27, 2016 . 
24. ^ Peter Geiger, 1866 Liechtenstein at War - 150 Years Ago, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum 2016, ISBN 978-3-9524602-0-7 , page 12
25. ^ Peter Geiger, 1866 Liechtenstein at War - 150 Years Ago, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum 2016, ISBN 978-3-9524602-0-7 , pages 18-19
26. ↑ Peter Geiger, 1866 Liechtenstein at War - 150 Years Ago, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum 2016, ISBN 978-3-9524602-0-7 , page 21 with reference to the Liechtenstein national newspaper of August 4, 1866
27. ^ Peter Geiger, 1866 Liechtenstein at War - 150 Years Ago, Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum 2016, ISBN 978-3-9524602-0-7 , page 22
28. ↑ Fatherland Monday, June 3rd, 2019, 75 years ago: Homage to Prince Franz Josef II.
29. ↑ Volksblatt Thursday, April 29, 2019, Prince Franz Josef II and the people swear loyalty ...
30. ↑ Peter Geiger: Second World War. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
31. ^ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zurich (2000), Volume 2, page 281
32. ↑ The state parliament debates the cession of the Ellhorn to Switzerland Minutes of the conference session of the state parliament on November 3, 1948
33. ^ Donat Büchel: Ellhorn. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
34. ^ On December 5th, 1985, a foehn storm raged through the Rhine Valley. A shooting exercise by the Swiss army triggered a major forest fire.
35. ↑ Ulrike Mayr, Paul Vogt: Balzers. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
36. ↑ Günther Meier, 30 years ago the Swiss military started the largest forest fire in Liechtenstein to date. The principality responded to the incident with a "protest note". The New Zurich Times
37. ↑ www.welt.de Swiss Army invades Liechtenstein
38. ^ The New York Times Switzerland invades Liechtenstein
39. ^ Neue Zürcher Zeitung How the Swiss Army bombarded Liechtenstein fifty years ago
40. ↑ Neue Zürcher Zeitung Swiss Army in Liechtenstein 1000 soldiers from Territorial Region 4 supported the Liechtenstein authorities in a simulated flood of the century this week.
41. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zürich (2000), Volume 2, pages 283–287
42. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zurich (2000), Volume 2, pages 287-293
43. ↑ Neue Zürcher Zeitung A happy people with a short past
44. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zürich (2000), Volume 2, page 319
45. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zürich (2000), Volume 2, pages 331–346
46. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zurich (2000), Volume 2, pages 327–331
47. ↑ Donat Büchel: Silent choice. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
48. ^ Program of the Volksdeutsche Movement in Liechtenstein
49. ^ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s , Chronos Verlag Zürich (2000), Volume 2, pages 364-408
50. ^ Wilfried Marxer: Volksdeutsche movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL). In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed June 10, 2019 .
51. ↑ Peter Geiger: Krisenzeit , Chronos Verlag, Zurich 2000 Volume 2, page 259 ff.
52. ^ Peter Geiger: Krisenzeit , Chronos Verlag, Zurich 2000 Volume 2, page 413
53. ^ Wilfried Marxer: Heimattreue Vereinigung Liechtenstein. In: Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein . December 31, 2011 , accessed July 13, 2019 .
54. ↑ Marlies Kessler: Seeing the neighbor through the forest of leaves , Yearbook Volume 114 (2015), Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein, pages 277–279
55. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s, Volume 1, pages 84–85
56. ↑ Peter Geiger: The time of crisis in Liechtenstein in the 1930s, Volume 1, Pages 215-217
57. ^ Gerhard Wanner: Refugees and Borderline Conditions in Vorarlberg 1938–1944 . In: Quarterly magazine of the Rheticus Society . Issue 3/4. Feldkirch 1998, p. 227–271 ( available online at Remember.at [PDF]).
58. ↑ Marxer, Wilfried (2004): 20 Years of Women's Suffrage - A Critical Balance. Bendern (contributions Liechtenstein Institute, 19). In: Liechtenstein Institute. Research and Teaching. Retrieved November 18, 2016 . 
59. ↑ The date section . In: Augsburger Allgemeine. from July 1, 2009
60. ↑ Art. 111 - Constitutional Commentary. In: constitution.li. Retrieved October 27, 2016 . 
61. ^ Liechtenstein Institute. Research and teaching .: Märk-Rohrer, Linda (2014): Women and political parties in Liechtenstein. Bendern (working papers Liechtenstein Institute, 48). In: Liechtenstein Institute. Research and Teaching. Retrieved October 27, 2016 . 
62. ↑ blick.ch Liechtensteiners reject initiative for more democracy
63. ↑ Aargauer Zeitung, March 21, 2012, green light for the anti-prince initiative in Liechtenstein
64. ↑ Liechtenstein celebrates 300 years of close relationship with Switzerland
65. ^ Yearbook of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein. In: www.eliechtensteinensia.li. Retrieved October 27, 2016 .