From Grand Estates to Grand Corruption: The Battle over the Possessions of Prince Albert of Thurn and Taxis in Interwar Yugoslavia (Balkan Studies Library, 33)

From Grand Estates to Grand Corruption: The Battle over the Possessions of Prince Albert of Thurn and Taxis in Interwar Yugoslavia (Balkan Studies Library, 33)
by: Klaus Buchenau (Author)
Publisher: Ferdinand Schoningh Wilhelm Fink &
Publication Date: 2023/6/1
Language: English
Print Length: 202 pages
ISBN-10: 3506790420
ISBN-13: 9783506790422
Book Description
When Yugoslavia was created in 1918, noble landowners still possessed vast parts of its territory especially in the northwestern half of the country which had formerly belonged to the Habsburg Monarchy. With approximately 38,000 hectares, Prince Albert of Thurn and Taxis was the largest private owner of forests in the new kingdom. Yugoslav politicians demanded an expropriation, justifying their actions on the grounds of social and historical justice. At the same time, political and business networks attempted to appropriate the property themselves. The parties involved - Thurn and Taxis, Yugoslav officials, national and international companies - fought for their interests using various means, from lawsuits to international arbitrage and political lobbyism. This book concentrates on the latter, arriving at a "grammar of bribery" in the lumber business of interwar Yugoslavia.
About the Author
When Yugoslavia was created in 1918, noble landowners still possessed vast parts of its territory especially in the northwestern half of the country which had formerly belonged to the Habsburg Monarchy. With approximately 38,000 hectares, Prince Albert of Thurn and Taxis was the largest private owner of forests in the new kingdom. Yugoslav politicians demanded an expropriation, justifying their actions on the grounds of social and historical justice. At the same time, political and business networks attempted to appropriate the property themselves. The parties involved - Thurn and Taxis, Yugoslav officials, national and international companies - fought for their interests using various means, from lawsuits to international arbitrage and political lobbyism. This book concentrates on the latter, arriving at a "grammar of bribery" in the lumber business of interwar Yugoslavia. Read more