Aristokrat v diplomatické službě první republiky: Neobyčejný osud Maxe Lobkowicze
An Aristocrat in the Diplomatic Service of the First Czechoslovak Republic: The Extraordinary Fate of Max Lobkowicz

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the personality of Maximilian Erwin Lobkowicz, the first Czechoslovak ambassador to Great Britain. It places the life story of this member of the highest aristocracy of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy within its historical context and outlines the paths that opened up to the nobility in the new Czechoslovak Republic. From the outset, however, relations between the nobility and the Czechoslovak state were marked by a historical burden of prejudice and mistrust. Although aristocrats could be found among Czechoslovak officials, they were very rare, primarily due to their reluctance to collaborate with the republican regime. In this respect, Max Lobkowicz represented a complete exception. He quickly adapted to the new republic and made use of the network he had cultivated during his civil service career to his advantage, particularly in mitigating the consequences of land reform and property disputes with his father. At the same time, he was willing to work for Czechoslovakia de facto without remuneration, and his services proved invaluable, especially during the critical period of the second half of the 1930s.

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