The stand of the Colloredo-Mansfeld family regarding the decision by the Czech Constitutional Court on the Opočno case
On Tuesday the 19th of May, the Czech Constitutional Court represented by 3 judges – 1 in favor and 2 against, and in the absence of our family – decided that our beautiful Castle of Opočno which we had owned for more than 300 years is to remain in the hands of the state. It has been a 30-year long juridical process in which our family has proven over and over again with clear documentation that Josef Colloredo-Mansfeld, the last owner and father of Kristina C-M, was an honorable Czech citizen loyal to his Czech homeland.
The case actually starts with an important ancestor born in České Budějovice (Budweis) in 1585, Rudolf Colloredo. Rudolf was indeed loyal to the Austrian Emperor and was involved in the elimination of Wallenstein (who was at that time a threat to the Emperor). He was certainly no better, no worse than any other Czech nobility at a tough time of Protestant and Catholic wars in Europe. However, the fact is that Rudolf Colloredo bought Opočno "Castle" legally in 1635 for 51.456 Rhenish Guilders which was unusual at the time when most lands were confiscated and shared among the warlords.
Rudolf reconstructed Opočno to a fabulous renaissance castle and a Bohemian jewel that it is today – this is ultimately where our Czech heritage begins. From then on the family has proven many times that they have lived up to their nobility – already 13 years later, Rudolf proves himself heroic as the savior of beautiful Prague from being invaded and destroyed by the Swedes and ending the Thirty Years' War. Rudolf died as an honored man and Governor of Prague in 1657. He is thanked for his bravery forever by the inscription on the famous Charles Bridge. From then on our roots have grown deeper into our Bohemian homeland until the Nazis and later the Communists abruptly tried to unroot them!
Surprisingly even with a newfound democracy, a dark path is being chosen where politics still interfere with the justice system and thus continue to deny our ownership of Opočno and our Czech Heritage. Our family has lived in Bohemia and Opočno for more than 300 years and even signed the declaration of Czech nobility to president Beneš in 1938 pledging our allegiance to the Czech homelands. Despite that, the Beneš decrees have been irresponsibly thrown around and frequently used in court so that the general public is made to believe that our case is based on them, when in fact the Beneš decrees have nothing to do with us and they certainly do not apply to us as we were NOT Germans!
Josef Colloredo-Mansfeld, the last owner of Opočno and father of the claimant Kristina C-M, was prosecuted and his property confiscated first by the Nazis in 1939-42 and then the Communists 1947. He was tortured by the Nazis and thereafter jailed and tortured by the Communists, too. It’s a disgrace to both insinuate any collaboration with the Nazis as well as to deny the communist actions that tormented the Czech Republic. All documents prove the opposite. It is a shame that this was done to a brave Czech citizen forced into exile. Instead this devastating punishment he should have been applauded and rewarded for his brave actions against the Nazis like in England and Austria.
The Colloredo-Mansfeld family has documented proof of its loyalty to the Czech lands for hundreds of years. Still today the love and support we get from our employees, the town of Opočno with it’s wonderful Mayor, and so many wonderful people warm our hearts and we are deeply thankful for it.
Whatever happens to Opocno now or in the future it needs to be a place for everybody to see and feel and where true history is being shown and told.
Justice shall prevail
