Wednesday, 02 May 2018 15:31

The story of the imperial chairs from Schönbrunn

Very often I get the question "What have you renovated the most valuable or the most interesting"

In the course of our work, there were really many renowned things with an interesting story. But on this question, I always tell the story of the imperial chairs that, in their wonderful state from the time of feudalism, have gone through Nazism to communism, where they have almost been destroyed.

In order to describe this story, I must return to 1944 when the Nazis occupied Austria, thus ruling the Schönbrunn and Hofburg chateau, and, from the fear of allied troops, took the furniture from Vienna to the South Moravian castle in Uherčice.

 

 

 

Count Antony Ottavian's Conte di Collalta e San Salvatore's convent was confiscated and the chateau in the border zone fell into the administration of the new Czechoslovak-Soviet army. The Vienna furniture dilapidated in the warehouse. Since 1947, the Austrian side has been leading an endless negotiation of the return of furniture- furniture of Schönbrunn.

Of course, the Communist regime did not take into account the fact that it was the Nazi theft and the subsequent detention of the imperial property of historical value.

The demand for return was repeated in various forms until 1994, but in 2005 the government decided to return the furniture. However, the furniture was in disastrous condition after more than 60 years. In part he was stolen or served Soviet soldiers. Of the total number of more than 500 pieces, less than 300 have been preserved.

The government then decided that it was necessary to return the furniture in the appropriate state. After choice, which company will do the restoration, furniture came into our administration.

 

When we took the furniture in Uherčice, we were pulling out individual pieces or just a torso from the boiler room and various shelters into which it flowed. It was a sad story for us, but after the completion of the whole work, it was a reward for us to know that we had done a good job as an Atelier and left a trace in the Schöbrunn Palace.

In such stories, the question is, why a higher date does not lead to a higher level of society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the motto "Appreciate the legacy our ancestors"

David Fiala