LIECHTENSTEIN
See also ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY IN LIECHTENSTEIN 1871 - 1945

PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
The Lower Austrian Lords of Liechtenstein were mentioned for the first time
in the 12th century. In the course of the following centuries they acquiered
many possessions and in 1608 the ruling Lord of Liechtenstein - Feldsberg
was made a mediate Prince of Liechtenstein and Prince of the Holy Roman 
Empire.
In 1699 the princes acquiered the Lordship of Schellenberg (first mention ca
1276) and soon afterwards, in 1712, the neighbouring Lordship of Vaduz (first
mention ca 1230). 
In 1719 both Lordships were united into the Principality of Liechtenstein, 
an immediate territory of the Empire.
The history of the Principality now followed the history of the other German
states until 1866, when following the end of the German Confederation, it
became a de facto independent state. (1)

(1) Liechtenstein was only recognized as a de jure independent state by 
    the Powers in 1919 at the signature of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en
    -Laye.

    Till then the country had been linked to Austria in so many ways, that
    many contemporaries considered it as a kind of Austrian protectorate :

    1827 : The Austrian postal services toke over the administration of
           the Liechtenstein posts (in 1912 the country was allowed to 
           have its own stamps)
    1852 : Austria and Liechtenstein concluded a Customs Union
    1869 : The Austrian telegraph administration toke over the management
           of the Liechtenstein telegraphs. The same happened to the 
           railroads (1872) and the telephons (1896).
    1880 : Austria assumed the foreign diplomatic representation of 
           Liechtenstein.
    1881 : The High Court of Innsbruck (Tirol) became the Highest Court
           of Liechtenstein.
   
    After 1919 the links with Austria were broken and replaced by some
    treaties with Switzerland :

    1919 : Switzerland assumed the foreign diplomatic representation of 
           Liechtenstein.
    1921 : Switzerland toke over the administration of Liechtenstein's
           posts, telgraphs and telephons. The railroads remained under
           Austrian administration
           Switzerland and Liechtenstein concluded a Customs Union.
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HEADS OF STATE
Princes
Fürsten

Full Style   Princes of Liechtenstein, Dukes of Jägerndorf and Troppau, etc.
             (Fürsten von und zu Liechtenstein, Herzöge von Jägerndorf und
             Troppau, etc.)

The Princes at first resided in Vienna. It was only in 1938, some years after
they had lost their major other possessions in the Czech lands (in 1919), 
that they moved to Vaduz in Liechtenstein 

House of Liechtenstein - Lineage of Aloysius
(ruled since 1836)

1858 - 1929   Johann II (Johann Maria Franz Placidius)
              der Gute (the Good)                            1840 - 1929   
1929 - 1938   Franz de Paula I (Franz de Paula
              Maria Carl August), brother                    1853 - 1938

              Regent

              1938          Franz Joseph (Franz Joseph 
                            Maria Aloysius Alfred Carl
                            Johann Heinrich Michael Georg
                            Ignatius Benedictus Gerhard
                            Majella), Prinz von und zu
                            Liechtenstein                    1906 - 1989   

House of Liechtenstein - Lineage of Franz de Paula 
          
1938 - 1989   Franz Joseph II                                s.a. 
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CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
Land Administrators
Landverweser

1860 - 1884   Karl Haus von Hausen                           1823 - 1889
1884 - 1892   Karl von In der Maur auf Strehlburg
              und zu Treifeld                                1852 - 1913
1892 - 1896   Friedrich Stellwag von Carion                  1852 - 1896
1896 - 1913   Karl von In der Maur auf Strehlburg 
              und zu Treifeld (2x)
1913 - 1914   Joseph Ospelt*                                 1881 - 1962
1914 - 1918   Leopold, Freiherr von Imhof                    1869 - 1922   
 
Executive Committee
Vollzugsausschuss

(the Vollzugsausschuss toke power after the fall of the Habsburg monarchy and
advocated the establishment of a parliamentary monarchy in the principality.
After some hesitations the Prince finally agreed with this in 1921) 

1918 - 1918  -Martin Ritter (Chairman)                       1872 - 1947   
             -Wilhelm Becker
             -Emil Batliner
             -Joseph Marxer (successor of Batliner)

Land Administrators
Landverweser

1918 - 1920   Karl Aloysius, Prinz von und zu 
              Liechtenstein                                  1878 - 1955   
1920 - 1921   Joseph Peer                                    1864 - 1925
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MINISTERS
Heads of Government
Regierungschefs

(also in charge of Foreign Affairs and Finance)

1921 - 1922   Joseph Ospelt                                   s.a.
1922          Alfons Feger*                                   1856 - 1933
1922          Felix Gubelmann*
1922 - 1928   Gustav Schädler                                 1883 - 1961
1928 - 1945   Franz Josef Hoop                                1895 - 1959   

Substitute Heads of Government
Regierungschef - Stellverteter 

(In charge of Home Affairs and Justice)

1922 - 1928   Alfons Feger                                    s.a.
1928 - 1932   Ludwig Marxer                                   s.a.
1932 - 1938   Pfarrer Anton Frommelt 
1938 - 1945   Alois Vogt  


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