Samuel Freiherr von Brukenthal - erfolgreicher Beamter des absolutistischen Österreich - Gubernator von Siebenbürgen
Samuel von Brukenthal – a Successful Senior Official of Absolutistic Austria – Governor of Transylvania

Summary/Abstract: Samuel von Brukenthal, governor of Transylvania between 1777 and 1787 remains due to his cultural oeuvre a representative personality of the Transylvanian Saxons. He built palaces in Sibiu and Avrig and had a valuable painting collection which became a public museum. The emperor Joseph II initiated reforms in order to create a centralized state, but he collided with the administration and legal systems of the 13 provinces of the monarchy. Brukenthal, as a Saxon and governor had to face a lot of difficulties because – as a Saxon he had to defend their privileges – but as an official of the Habsburg Empire he had to implement his Majesties reforms. The author builds up his arguments on the rise and fall of Samuel von Brukenthal presenting some unpublished documents.

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