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Sehenswertes/Übersicht |
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Hieronymus Graf von Colloredo |
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The election of the 41-year-old Bishop of Gurk, Hieronymus Graf Colloredo, on March 14, 1772 as prince archbishop of Salzburg by a majority of votes was only possible due to the adamant pressure exerted by the Viennese Court. It was to be the last archiepiscopal election.
The son of the imperial vice chancellor, Hieronymous grew up in the ambiance of the Viennese Court, meeting the most significant representatives of the Age of Enlightenment that had gathered around its subsequent emperor, Joseph II. Although he shared their philosophy, he set about to improve the country's weaknesses. He drastically restricted the royal household and his rigorous economic measures brought about the end of many cultural activities.
The pinnacle of these measures was his Pastoral Letter, appearing Easter 1782, in which he heralded the Catholic Enlightenment. The document, which shook the entire German-speaking world with the force of an earthquake, prohibited all pilgrimages and processions; permission to set up nativity scenes and memorials to the saints was reduced to a minimum. Colloredo attached great value to a lengthy sermon since he believed that instruction of the masses would cause their betterment. His activities in the field of health and education were, however, commendable. In cooperation with teachers, predominantly from Bavaria, he established numerous scientific periodicals: minerologcal, litarary, educational and medical journals, which were exemplary for the German-speaking world of the time. The "Salzburg Intelligence Journal", founded and edited by Lorenz Hübner in 1787, was intended as a counterpart to Jena's literary journal.
In spite of his severe savings measures, Colloredo was unable to prevent the economic collapse of the archbishopric. The time of the archipiscopals had come to an end. In 1797 Emperor Franz II and Napoleon areed to dissolve the archbishopric in the Treaty of Campo Formio. The crown of the Holy Roman Empire was renounced in 1806 and Salzburg secularized.
Colloredo had fled from the approaching French troops to Vienna in 1800, where he died on May 20, 1812.
Although deprived of his political powers, Colloredo remained the reigning Archbishop of Salzburg up to his death. Through his undaunted negotiations he succeeded in preserving Salzburg's honor (of being an archbishopric). Colloredo was interred in the crypt of St. Stephan's Cathedral in Vienna.
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