Jožef baron Dietrich in njegove povezave z rodbino Sulkowski
Baron Josef Dietrich and his connections with the Sułkowski family

Author(s): Miha Preinfalk
Subject(s): History
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Summary/Abstract: The rise of the Dietrich family began in the mid-18th century and has its origins in transport services for the imperial army. Peter Dietrich was acknowledged for his serviceswith the noble title of „Dietrichsberg”. At the beginning of the 19th century the familybusiness was taken over by his great-nephew Josef Dietrich (1780–1855) who during theNapoleonic wars managed to significantly expand it also to other parts of Central Europe.The wealth gathered through this activity and his patriotism brought Dietrich a (Hungarian)baronial title in 1824. In his attempt to improve the social reputation of his familyhe tried to represent his ancestors as members of a much older and well-known noblefamily of Barons Dietrich-Landsee and to a certain extent he was successful in his effort.Josef Dietrich invested his money in real estate. He owned estates in Lower Austria,in Eastern Hungary (present-day Romania), but also in Carniola (present-day Slovenia).He possessed a palace in Matzleinsdof (in Vienna) where he was known as a benefactorof the local community providing it with waterworks at his own expense. He was fondof the arts and the theatre and in his restored medieval castle Feistritz am Wechsel hehad an important art gallery as well as a cabinet of curiosities.Owing to his wealth he managed to marry his daughter Anna to a Polish prince LudwikSułkowski and his family thus climbed the social ladder into the world of the high nobility. On the other hand, it was also Dietrich’s wealth that saved part of the Sułkowskifamily from ruin in financial problems caused by the immoderate and lavish way of life.After the death of Josef Dietrich in 1855 his main heir became his only grandchild PrinceJózef Sułkowski who by his wasteful and extravagant way of life managed to fritter awaythe majority of the inherited property including the castle Neuhaus (Tržič) in Carniola,where he himself and his grandfather Dietrich were soon forgotten.

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