Contribution of the Noble Families Hilleprand von Prandau and von Normann-Ehrenfels to the Social, Economic, and Cultural Development of the Valpovo Eestate since the Formation of the Estate to the Middle of the 20th Century

Milan Vrbanus, PhD

The Hilleprand von Prandau family ran the Valpovo Estate, or property, for 164 years, then the administration of it was taken over by the von Normann-Ehrenfels family, until it was confiscated in 1945. The Hilleprand von Prandau family implemented various activities aimed at improving the economy at the estate, or property. In the course of that process, they changed the organisation of the estate in order to ensure that it functions better and that the income from it increases. The von Normann-Ehrenfels family took over that estate in the final decades of its existence, so it was more focused on its maintenance, and development was of secondary significance.

 

Both families attempted to invest some of the income into the advancement of education at the Valpovo area. In the course of that process, the Hilleprand von Prandau family worked on expanding the network of educational institutions, and the von Normann-Ehrenfels family worked on maintaining it, or enabling further activities of the school institutions. In the beginning of the 19th century, the Hilleprand von Prandau family invested some of the income from the estate into the construction of a theatre building, and they financially supported the activities of the theatre until the middle of the century. The activities of both families, that spanned the period of over two centuries, provided the preconditions for the social, cultural, educational, and economic development of the Valpovo region.

 

Full text from the exhibition catalog:

Contribution of the Noble Families Hilleprand von Prandau and von Normann-Ehrenfels to the Social, Economic, and Cultural Development of the Valpovo Eestate since the Formation of the Estate to the Middle of the 20th Century / Milan Vrbanus, PhD