Hans-Adam II Prince of Liechtenstein - A Biography

Monarch, businessman, banker, art collector, visionary, and controversial contemporary: all of this is Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, for whom this volume is published on the occasion of his 75th birthday. For centuries, the Liechtenstein family was closely tied to the Habsburg monarchy. They built Europe's most important private art collection, promoted agriculture and the sciences, and supported the poor and needy. However, with the end of World War II, the princely family had lost almost all of its sources of income. A generation later, they were nearly bankrupt. With his keen business acumen, Hans-Adam II managed to restore the family's finances. Despite strong domestic political headwinds, he ensured that Liechtenstein reaffirmed its sovereignty and independence by joining the United Nations and the European Economic Area. He also implemented controversial constitutional changes that clearly redefined the roles of the monarchy, parliament, judiciary, and the people. This volume traces the unique career of the Prince and places it within the exciting 300-year history of the principality. Hans-Adam II is a passionate advocate for self-determination, for which he has spoken at the UN General Assembly and founded an institute at Princeton University. From personal experience, he firmly believes in the advantages of small states. He hopes that the state of the future will be a service organization that works for the benefit of the people, rather than the other way around. This book uses his own words to tell his story.