Work Report I
I’ve been here now for almost two months - only six days missing to that jubilee, which by the way is also my name day. A dual reason to celebrate, maybe I should try to go out for dinner with David and Lilla and Eric or so. I’ll see. Unbelievable how quickly time flies! To me it doesn’t feel as if I’d left home such a long time ago. To me it seems as if I’d just left a couple of days ago – my feelings and thoughts are still so strongly connected to you. Just yesterday (when I received a parcel from home) I thought: I think I’m getting old. Leaving was so much harder than four years ago. And I admit I still can’t imagine to stay here permanently. There’s too much I left behind: My family, my friends ("the family which I have chosen by myself"), my country. Home. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I wasn’t glad to have a job, or not grateful for this opportunity or not curious about the things around me. It’s simply that I see this stay as an interesting phase of my life but I can’t imagine it being the basis of a future here. But that’s another topic; actually I wanted to talk about something completely different. So: Cut! - And re-start:
I’ve been here now for almost 2 months – and today I finally start the long expected (or so I assume) description of what precisely I’m doing: I’ll start this account from scratch, because I don’t know whom I have told what and some of my previous assumptions have proved incorrect anyway. Also I will split it up in several sections, for the sake of you and me..
1. Historical Background
Dr. Szabo, the Director of the Institute, is – among other things – an expert on Prince (Fürst) Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg (1711-94). Kaunitz was a (or the) leading advisor throughout
almost the whole of the monarchy’s reform era in the 18th century, during the reigns of Maria-Theresia (1740-80), Joseph II (1780-90), Leopold II (1790-92) and the first two years of Franz II and I (1792-1835).
Kaunitz’s importance may have been expressed quite well by Derek Beales (whose book on Joseph is brilliant – or at least the first volume up to 1780, the second is still to appear) who for the time between 1765 and 1780 spoke of a triumvirate between Maria-Theresa (effective ruler of the monarchy), Joseph II (her son and co-regent, emperor) and Chancellor Kaunitz.
From 1753 Kaunitz official function had been Chancellor of State (Staatskanzler). Being head of the so-called House, Court and State Chancellery (Haus-, Hof- und Staatskanzlei) effectively made him the Monarchy’s foreign minister. (But of course the decisive authority was always the respective monarch.) Besides, this Chancellery of State was also responsible for such important regions of the monarchy as the Austrian Netherlands (Belgium and Luxemburg) and Lombardy.
Apart from that a lot of Kaunitz’s influence stemmed from the fact that he was Maria-Theresia’s most trusted advisor. Consequently, when – on Kaunitz’s proposal – a new prime advisory body for interior matters named the Council of State was formed in 1760 he himself was integral part of it. As to now I haven’t read much about this Council of State yet, so detailed information may follow later. This week I’ve started to read Dr. Szabo’s book on Kaunitz or at least the first volume up to 1780, the second is still to appear. Which brings me right into the topic of my purpose...
(to be continued)
PS: Actually as you all know me I shouldn’t need to write that. Yet, to the shyer guests: If any questions should arise – please dare to ask! After... ehm, "some" years of studies it’s sometimes difficult for me to assess what is too much, or too little, or too complicated (and so forth) for ordinary readers..
I’ve been here now for almost 2 months – and today I finally start the long expected (or so I assume) description of what precisely I’m doing: I’ll start this account from scratch, because I don’t know whom I have told what and some of my previous assumptions have proved incorrect anyway. Also I will split it up in several sections, for the sake of you and me..
1. Historical Background
Dr. Szabo, the Director of the Institute, is – among other things – an expert on Prince (Fürst) Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg (1711-94). Kaunitz was a (or the) leading advisor throughout
almost the whole of the monarchy’s reform era in the 18th century, during the reigns of Maria-Theresia (1740-80), Joseph II (1780-90), Leopold II (1790-92) and the first two years of Franz II and I (1792-1835).Kaunitz’s importance may have been expressed quite well by Derek Beales (whose book on Joseph is brilliant – or at least the first volume up to 1780, the second is still to appear) who for the time between 1765 and 1780 spoke of a triumvirate between Maria-Theresa (effective ruler of the monarchy), Joseph II (her son and co-regent, emperor) and Chancellor Kaunitz.
From 1753 Kaunitz official function had been Chancellor of State (Staatskanzler). Being head of the so-called House, Court and State Chancellery (Haus-, Hof- und Staatskanzlei) effectively made him the Monarchy’s foreign minister. (But of course the decisive authority was always the respective monarch.) Besides, this Chancellery of State was also responsible for such important regions of the monarchy as the Austrian Netherlands (Belgium and Luxemburg) and Lombardy.
Apart from that a lot of Kaunitz’s influence stemmed from the fact that he was Maria-Theresia’s most trusted advisor. Consequently, when – on Kaunitz’s proposal – a new prime advisory body for interior matters named the Council of State was formed in 1760 he himself was integral part of it. As to now I haven’t read much about this Council of State yet, so detailed information may follow later. This week I’ve started to read Dr. Szabo’s book on Kaunitz or at least the first volume up to 1780, the second is still to appear. Which brings me right into the topic of my purpose... (to be continued)
PS: Actually as you all know me I shouldn’t need to write that. Yet, to the shyer guests: If any questions should arise – please dare to ask! After... ehm, "some" years of studies it’s sometimes difficult for me to assess what is too much, or too little, or too complicated (and so forth) for ordinary readers..
relationes - 2006/07/21 04:07