Brno court rejects appeal over post-war property confiscation in south Moravia

A court in Brno on Thursday rejected an appeal by Mercedes Dietrichstein who demanded the return of her former family property confiscated after WWII on the basis of the so-called Beneš decrees. Ms Dietrichstein sued several public institutions which now own the property including the chateau in Mikulov but a court in Břeclav rejected the lawsuit three years ago. For several centuries, the Dietrichsteins were one of the most significant aristocratic families in Moravia. Their property was confiscated after the Second World War as Ms Dietrichstein’s father was a member of the pro-Nazi Sudetendeutsche Partei. In a separate lawsuit against the town of Mikulov, Mercedes Dietrichstein has asked for the return of her family crypt and other property located in the town. A court in Břeclav is scheduled to hear the case in November.

Author: Jan Richter