Jiří Douglas Sternberg (1888-1965)

This diploma thesis attempts to introduce Jiří Douglas Sternberg (1888 {--} 1965) in the relationship with the time where he lived as well as the social class to which he belonged. He was a descendant of a Czech aristocratic family, which had its roots at least in the mid 13th century. Members of his family always had outstanding positions in the Czech state, both in politics and culture, and at the turn of the 19th century they had a strong position at the imperial court. However, turns of historical events in the first half of the 20th century significantly changed not only the life of Sternberg family, but also lives of aristocracy as such. The first major turning point came with the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic and passing of its first laws, especially the Landed Property Reform Act. Aristocracy was this way almost excluded from social life, but it still kept its exceptional position and traditional lifestyle. Changes of attitudes were did not come until the era of national depression after the year 1938, when aristocracy expressed its loyalty and support to the republic. Nevertheless, sympathies towards aristocracy ended with the year 1948, when the aristocracy possessions were finally confiscated and aristocrats were expelled to the very edge of the society