English Translation

Rudolf and Humprecht Czerninová of Chudenic Memory and History 2014/04 33 already during Runciman's mission in the summer of 1938.14 Shortly before the fateful Mnicho-ve, 17 September 1938, Zdenko Radslav Kinský initiated the acceptance of representatives of the Czech-minded nobility at President Be-neš. Schwarzenberg, a well-known historian and genealogist, declared by the mouth of František Kinský of Kostelec nad Orlicí the loyalty of the Czech state and the determination to defend the unity of the state in its historical borders.In the twelve-member delegation, the Dymok Earl Ru- dolf Děpold Czernin was not missing.15 In a similar spirit of loyalty to the family and state, although already emasculated by the Munich dictation, there was a statement from 24. On January 1939, which was addressed by President Emil Hácha. Among the thirteen nobles at the audience at the Castle again was Rudolf Děpold Czernin. While a group of nobles professing to Czechoslovak statehood with two declarations firmly linked their fates with the fate of the Czech nation, the second sku- pina, partly led by the hope of reviewing the intervention of the previous Republican establishment, tied its future with ex-panding Nazi Germany.16 The Reich Protector of the Free Lord Kon-stantin von Neurath, himself a member of the ancient Porn noble family, was in relation to the nobility in the Protectorate, whether German or applying to czechism, after-measurely long-living. His visitation book shows that numerous delegations from the two mentioned camps came to him.There are also names of members of the Czernin family.17 The association of Czech nobles with von Neurath cannot be interpreted as collaborating, 18 as well as the engagement of some members of nobles claiming to the Czech nation in the so-called. The Czech Association for Cooperation with the Germans.19 These were rather influential groups that were trying to live through contacts with some Nazi representatives in the Protecto-gate to find out their intentions and possibly gain at least some patronage from the authorities controlled by Himmler's SS. In view of the gradual radicalization of the clandestine attitudes towards the nobility, these efforts did not last long.20 14 © Closer VYSNY, Paul: The Runciman mission to Czechoslovakia, 1938: prelude to Munich. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke 2003. 15 © AKPR, f. D-important, Šlechta, k. 168, sign. D 3038/4, inv. no. 1124, copy of the Declaration of Czech Nobles dated 17 September 1938. 16 © It led to the fact that Czech nationalities (Schwarzenberg, Lobkowicz, Colloredo-Mannsfelds, Stern- bergs and Schönborn) did not maintain almost any contact with the German families, while the division sometimes went across the different families. 17 © For example. 23. 10. 1939 Eugen Alfons Czernin (1892©1955) from the main Jindřichohradeck branch with his wife, 29. 2. 1940 František Josef Czernin and finally 14th March 1940 Otto Czernsin (1875©1962), youngest brother of Dymokur Děpold Czernino with his second wife Maria Lisa roz. Pfeiffer. Bundesarchiv Koblenz, f. NL 310, signed 271, Visit book of the Reich Protector K. von Neuratha 1939©1941. 18 © Some of those he accepted in his household signed a declaration of loyalty and later lost their property because of it. 19 © Karel Belcredi, Hugo Strachwitz and Jindřich Schlik appeared in his 30-member committee. However, the German authorities had no confidence in him from the beginning and saw another attempt to escape from the real Czech-German cooperation. They considered him opportunistic and hypocritical. Count Belcredi was also perceived as a chauvinist who was not loyal to the Nazi power. In: HAZDRA, Zdeněk © HORČIČKA, Václav © ŽUPANIČ, Jan (eds.): A noble of Central Europe in confrontation with totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. ÚSTR © FF UK, Praha 2011, s. 177©199. Rudolf Děpold Czernin with his wife Friederika, born von Wenckheim, probably after the birth of the firstborn son Děpold (1936). Right wedding photo of Humprecht Czernin with Marie Ida from Lobkowicz, 3 May 1939. Photo: family archive of Czerniny Dymokury PD_04_2014.indb 33 15.12.14 9:27