Esterházy, Paul V. Fürst

Esterházy, Prince Paul V, b. Eisenstadt (Burgenland), March 23, 1901, d. Zurich (Switzerland), May 25, 1989, legal scholar, political scientist, estate owner. Inherited the Esterházy family title and estate (128,000 hectares of land in Hungary and 66,000 in Burgenland) in 1920, as well as administrative seats in Sopron and Eisenstadt. In the Peace Treaty of St. Germain (1919) Burgenland was ceded Austria; this met with Hungarian resistance and in 1921 the inhabitants were allowed to choose between Hungarian and Austrian citizenship. Prince Paul decided to adopt Hungarian citizenship. After 1925 E. offered buildings and land for the construction of the provincial capital Eisenstadt. 1946-1947 his land in Hungary was seized by the state, and in 1946 his property in Austria was placed under the administration of the USIA. in 1949 was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment in the Mindszenty Trial, but was able to flee to Austria in the autumn of 1956 and settled down in Switzerland. It was owing to him that the "Burgspiele" (Festival) were created in Burgenland at Forchtenstein Castle, the international Bildhauersymposion St. Margarethen (sculptors' symposium) and the Lake Neusiedl National Park; E. also provided around 9000 hectares of land for the development of farmers' property from 1959 to 1961.

Literature: G. Schlag, Burgenland, Geschichte, Kultur, Wirtschaft in Biographien, 1991; Die Fürsten Esterházy, exhibition catalogue, Eisenstadt 1995.