The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-25
richest MAN IN
AUSTRIA IS OF
ANCIENT FAMILY
LleChtenStein Clan Won Its
Lands by VaIorouS Deeds
at Arms.
This is one of series Of articles on
the worlds richest men.
BY ROBERT III. BEST
United Press Stan Correspondent

VIENNA, March 25.-Although
Austria, once an empire. is a re-
public today, one of its richest men
is 78-year-old blueblood, whose
first title of nobility dates back 100
years before even the parents Of
Columbus we're born.
He is Franz II, sovereign prince
and ruler OF the House Won and Zu
Liechtenstein, duke Of Troppau and
Jaegerndorf, Count zu Riedberg;
and, as such, is the ruler of the
little independent and sovereign
state between Switzerland and
Austria known as the principality
OF Liechtenstein
In his own right Prince Won and
"a Liechtenstein is one Of Austria's
richest inhabitants, and if TO this
inherited wealth is added that Of
Franz wife, his fortune is easily
the largest IN the country.
Not Austrian Citizen
He is not an Austrian citizen, but
considers himself at home in
Austria, and before the war was a
member Of the Austrian house Of
lords.
he succeeded to the family title
and wealth in 1929 upon the death
OF his 89-year-old brother, Johann,
VINO died after establishing a Euro
pcan record reign Of seventy lone
years
Franzs chief wealth is in land ;
that Of his wife is in industrial
and banking shares.
The Liechtensteins obtained their
fortune with the sword and through
royal and imperial grants given
them in return for valorous Serv-
ices rendered to the emperors Of
the old German empire OF the six
teenth and seventeenth centuries;
the Gutmanns got their wealth
through business.
Ancestor Was TrOubador
The first of Francs family to be-
come prominent and rich was a
Syrian troubador, or wandering
minstrel who later became Ulrich
Won Liechtenstein; the first of his
wifes family to achieve power and
recognition was David Qater "Rit-
ter Won" or Knight Gutman, the
son of a Vienna coal and scrap
iron dealer
Franzs ancestors concentrated
their energies on the amassing and
exploitation of huge estates; his
wife's grandfather, David, though
his activities are little known be-
cause he worked without publicity,
built up what might be described
as Europe's first vertical trust.
Ruins Still Stand
The first estate obtained by a,
Liechtenstein is one near Moedling,
Austria, on which now stands many
ruins of the castles which Ullrich
built and one reconstructed castle
which, in addition to it's intrinsic
worth, is the most highly priced
tlA4NNotl Oh lA4llCllbdAlOC VI JllC LlGNl1-
tensteins today. Other estates in
Austria are those of Jagendorf,
Troppau and Felsberg-all center
ing around beautiful old castles and
ruins of other castles.
The Liechtenstein principality is
owned by the ruling family as no
king owns his kindom. Land, castles,
and factories are the Liechtenstein's
private possessions. Practically
every citizen is in the service of the
prince, and no one pays any taxes.
Yet other estates of the Liech-
tensteins, which together cover
many square miles, are situated in
CzechoSlovakia. Large blocs of
these estates, however, have been
confiscated as a land reform meas
ure. Litigation concerning them is
-,