The tiny nation of Liechtenstein is a relic of a Europe that no longer exists.
It’s a semi-constitutional monarchy; meaning that the Prince of Liechtenstein is permitted
significant political power within government (the only European country, other than Monaco,
to still do so) but more importantly it’s a miniscule, German-speaking state that has survived
long since most of those went out of fashion and that is surrounded by larger, historically
more powerful nations. So then why, in the 21st century, does little Liechtenstein still exist?
Well, Liechtenstein came into existence in 1719 when the lands that make it up,
notably the towns of Vaduz and Schellenberg, were combined by the Holy Roman Emperor who was
also the Archduke of Austria. Both halves were controlled by an imperial adviser,
Anton Florian of Liechtenstein, who was made Prince of the new state.
Quick sidenote: despite owning Liechtenstein no member of the family actually saw the
principality until 1818 when Prince Aloys II visited, though did not stay,
in the country. Instead the Princes lived in two palaces in Vienna, the Austrian capital.
So the first time that Liechtenstein really should have been destroyed was during the
Napoleonic wars. Napoleon crushed Austria at the battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and
effectively destroyed the Holy Roman Empire; it would officially be dismantled a year later.
In the Holy Roman Empire’s place Napoleon created a union of German states, controlled by himself,
called the Confederation of the Rhine, which Liechtenstein was allowed to be a part of
but Austria, importantly, was not. Meaning that the Liechtenstein family,
and subsequently the country, ceased to be Austrian subjects.
But they remained on good terms with them, which proved essential come 1815 and a post-Napoleonic
Europe. The Austrians protected Liechtenstein as the Congress of Vienna redrew Europe’s boundaries,
so, with the French Empire gone and Austria okay with it, Liechtenstein became a fully,
nobody doubts it, independent state. Though they wasted no time in joining another confederation,
the German Confederation, led by Austria, which lasted from 1815
until it was rather violently destroyed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866.
The Prussians sought German unification but the Austrians kept getting in their way. So,
the Austro-Prussian war broke out in 1866 and Liechtenstein sided with the Austrians
(keep in mind that the family still lived in Vienna at that point) but they only really
fought against Prussia’s ally, Italy. Though by “fought”, I mean Liechtenstein’s tiny army
of less than a hundred men mostly just sat in an Alpine pass and enjoyed themselves.
Austria pretty spectacularly lost the Austro-Prussian War to
the Prussians which allowed them to go about unifying Germany in peace.
Well, except for when they beat the living daylights out of France four years later.
But Prussia never came for Liechtenstein. Mostly because it was separated from their new German
Empire by Austria-Hungary and Switzerland and frankly it wasn’t worth kicking up a fuss over.
So after German Unification Liechtenstein declared itself to be permanently neutral but aligned
it’s economy with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After they were utterly destroyed during ww1,
Liechtenstein changed tack and pivoted towards Switzerland.
They entered into a customs union, meaning they have free trade, and a monetary union,
meaning that they use the same currency as the Swiss. Their borders are also guarded
by Swiss soldiers as Liechtenstein disbanded its own army after declaring its neutrality.
Prince Franz Josef finally moved the family from Vienna to Vaduz Castle in Liechtenstein in 1938
after Austria found itself suddenly a part of Germany.
Liechtenstein survived the second world war by remaining close to Switzerland, but still,
why does it exists today? Well, because the French failed to conquer Europe, the Germans couldn’t
reach them, the Swiss never had a reason to annex them, and the Austrians liked them too much.
If you want to know more about German Unification, find out why Austria isn’t
a part of Germany in the video to the left. If you enjoyed this video don’t forget to
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as always, I’ve been James and thank you for watching Look Back History.