era, the nobility started to move into the cities and built themselves lavish residences called
Palais. The
Palais Kinsky in Vienna, belonging to the princely Kinsky family, is one of the most outstanding pieces.
Imperial nobility From 1453, the
Archduke of Austria had
the right to bestow titles and ranks upon non-nobles, as did the
Archbishop of Salzburg, as
Salzburg remained an independent territory. Besides the Holy Roman Emperor (an office which was almost uninterruptedly held by the Archduke (of the
House of Habsburg) from 1438 to 1806), only a few territorial rulers within the Empire had this right. In an era of
Absolutism, the nobility residing in the cities slowly turned itself into the
court nobility (
Hofadel). Service at the court became the primary goal of the nobility. This in turn initiated an interest in education and the interests of the court. Within the court, a close inner circle, called the
100 Familien (100 families), possessed enormous riches and lands. They also had great influence at the court and thus played an important role in politics and diplomacy. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Habsburg rulers, who were
Emperors of Austria from 1804 onwards, continued to elevate individuals to nobility until the end of the monarchy in 1918. Some of the noble families even obtained the right to be seated in the
Herrenhaus (House of Lords), the
upper house of the
Reichsrat (Imperial Council). Nobles from previously sovereign states such as those in northern Italy (Venice, Mantua, Milan) were also recognized by the authorities and were allowed to keep their titles and rights.
Burgenland On the former status of nobility in
Burgenland, which was part of the Kingdom of Hungary until 1921, see
Hungarian nobility.
Jewish nobles A few very wealthy Jewish families were ennobled after the
Toleranzedikt vom 1782 ("1782 Edict of Tolerance") decreed by Emperor
Joseph II. Under this Edict, very wealthy
Jewish bankers, and later entrepreneurs and industrialists—some of them
court Jews—could also be ennobled for their services. Jews had been ennobled mostly, as was common with all newly ennobled families, with
lesser noble ranks, but also with
peerages such as
Freiherr (
Baron). The few Jewish families elevated into the nobility were not required to forswear their faith, but some of these families converted to
Christianity in order to become more accepted. Although elevation into the nobility meant recognition for civic contributions and services, and entailed a rise in
social status, it did not alter the fact that Jews were, for the most part, still only "tolerated" at best. Jews could not freely choose the place and duration of their stay and had to regularly ask for permission from the
authorities. This placed a huge burden on Jewish families; if the head of the family died, all his relatives had to leave the city. The right to purchase
real estate was forbidden to Jews, even if they belonged to the nobility. This regulation stayed in place until 1860, when it was abolished by Emperor
Franz Joseph I and Jewish citizens were given equal rights. When the banker and protector of arts Raymund Karl Wetzler von Plankenstern was created a
Reichsfreiherr (Baron of the Empire) by
Empress Maria Theresia, he converted to
Catholicism while still young. His mansion in Vienna was a center of the
fine arts and he was a close friend of
Mozart, as his son Alexander was of
Ludwig van Beethoven. Despite these difficulties, by 1821 there were at least eleven ennobled Jewish families living in Vienna alone: the
Rothschild,
Arnstein,
Eskeles,
Gomperz,
Kuffner, Lieben,
Auspitz,
Schey von Koromla,
Todesco, Goluchowski-Glochowsky, Wertheimstein, Weißmann and Wiernes families. In 1830 the Jewish
von Neumann family were elevated into the nobility. The elevation into the nobility of wealthy Jews also started the process of
assimilation of Jewish families into the Austrian
upper class.
Abolition of nobility in 1919 With the same date, the
Habsburgergesetz of 1919 ("Habsburg Law"), which legally dethroned, exiled and confiscated the properties of the Imperial House of Habsburg, the
Adelsaufhebungsgesetz (Arbitration Act) of 3 April 1919 ("Law on the Abolition of Nobility") abolished nobility as well as all noble privileges, titles and names in Austria. In other monarchies of Europe, Austrian noble families may use their noble titles as well as
nobiliary particles such as
von and
zu in their names and they still retain noble status there. This may sometimes be confusing, as descendants of nobles are sometimes referred to with noble names abroad. Also, members of noble families often hold multiple citizenships, as was the case for
Otto von Habsburg (eldest son of
the last Emperor of Austria-Hungary and father of Karl Habsburg-Lothringen), who was also a citizen of Germany. The Austrian law does not apply to artistic, performer or
stage names, where
von is sometimes used, as in the case of conductor
Herbert von Karajan or the musician Hubert von Goisern. However, stage names are never recognized for official purposes. Members of the lower nobility especially (such as
civil servants) found this radical step of abolition degrading and humiliating, since working towards and finally earning a noble title was a way for them and their families to rise within society. Members of the higher nobility were able to absorb the formal abolition more easily. They lost their titles and privileges, but kept their social networks, manners, standing and riches.
Federal President Michael Hainisch called the official abolition The law abolishing nobility and titles was never repealed, even during the period of
Austrofascism (1934–1938). Following the
Anschluss to
Nazi Germany (1938–1945), this law remained on the books, although it was not enforced, allowing Austrian nobles to use titles freely again. == Current status ==