Again, I would like to emphasize that because someone disagrees with you, it does not mean that they are ignorant. Sometimes well-informed, intelligent people simply disagree. If you can’t accept that, it says more about you than about me.

“Why not be like everybody else work for a living instead of trying to live off the riches of others.”

Now you are simply being insulting out of your own pure ignorance. If I need to do some reading up on the history of “central europe”, then you certainly need to do some reading up on the impoliteness of making ignorant assumptions about others. What would your mother say if she knew you were doing such things?

I take your point in your latest reply.

But really it is common good manners not to speak of Cesky Krumlov in German to a Czech Audience. You should be aware of The Sudetenland problems of the first half of the 20th Century. You should not try to give rise to these problems again.

As I mentioned in The Czech Republic in 1918 titles were abolished by the government. I am, sure if you asked Karel Schwarzenberg should you call him Prince or one of the other old titles that he might have had, should the Czech Government not abolished them. Karel Schwarzenberg would I am sure reply “Schwarzenberg is good enough for me”. He and his family have much respect from the Czechs and he and his family are and have always been very good and loyal Czechs.

For your interest, they were one of the very few Noble Families that ever spoke Czech,most of the other Noble Families conversed in German even to Czechs. It was even law to speak German to obtain a railway ticket,In The Sudetenland it was not uncommon to see signs in Hotels and Resturants that said “Czechs and Dogs not served”. So perhaps you will understand the Czechs difficulty with the German Language. Some members of The Schwarzenberg Family were imprissioned for being loyal Czechs during WW II. It was said that on Hitlers Birthday they flew Black Flags from their Castles. In Viden (Vienna in English and Wien in German), Jews were banned form Public Places and Parks. The Head of the Schwarzenberg family then put sign up at the entrance to his palace gardens “Everybody including Jews Welcome”.

It appears to me that you need to do some reading up on history of central europe. Another point I should like to raise with you, why in heavens name should you ask people to contribute to you personally. Why not be like everybody else work for a living instead of trying to live off the riches of others.

It would be better to earn your own money, not only does it give you pride in yourself, but it would also mean that you could if you have sufficent help do some charitable work. Instead of hanging on the coat tails of Noble Orders to which you will never be accepted.

Yours truly,

William Higginson

Again, I don’t speak Russian, but I’ve never met any Russian who was offended when I referred to their capital as ‘Moscow’.

You mention that they do not describe New York by its Czech name of New Yorku outside the Czech Republic. But surely, if they were speaking Czech abroad, they would, wouldn’t they? Spanish New Yorkers call New York ‘Nueva York’ when speaking Spanish, and call it ‘New York’ when speaking English, and this seems entirely appropriate.

Should I ever learn the Czech language (which certainly has a certain beauty to it), I would of course refer to Krummau on the Moldau while speaking Czech as ‘Český Krumlov’. But when I am speaking English, it will remain ‘Krummau on the Moldau’, just as ‘Moskva’ remains ‘Moscow’ in English.

Best,

I fear you do not understand central Europe and or its history.

One is being rude when you refer to a Town in Czechia by its German name. They do not speak German but Czech. To understand their problems you have to delve into Czech History for at least 500 years and more recently the Benes Decree’s and post 1920 Republic.

They do not describe New York by its Czech Name of New Yorku outside The Czech Republic.

I was nearly pointing some things out as I do not like to offend people.

Regards

William Higginson

Czech names are Czech, German names are German, and English adopts toponyms from other places varyingly. German toponyms tended to be adopted for places in Central and Eastern Europe because of the historical political dominance of German-speaking regimes (e.g. the Hapsburgs) and because they are easier for English-speaking people to pronounce.

True The Schwarzenbergs are afine example of how Noble Families should behave. They have always been Czech and have been very proud of the fact.

William