Sophie Chotek, wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

[StephenT]

Hopefully a simple question: what nationality was she? What was her native language?

What I already know is that she was a subject of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although born in Stuttgart in what was then (in 1868) the Kingdom of Württemberg. Her father Bohuslaw Graf Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin was the Austrian ambassador to Württemberg.

He is usually referred to as "a member of the Bohemian nobility", and by extension she is also called 'Bohemian' or even 'Czech' in modern sources. But would she have thought of herself as Czech, or as German? Which language did she speak as a child?

 

[PANGI]

I bet that Chotek family spoke german and french (in private) and they used to speak czech only with czech servants. I read that her czech was worse than Franz Ferdinands. Their children were learning czech for sure. But Im not sure if she considered herself czech or german, but Choteks were germanized as everything whats left of czech nobility after 1621.

EDIT: She wrote her diary in german and french.

 

[stevieji]

I would imagine she spoke German. Although both parents were ethnic Czechs - and aristocratic Bohemians - she doesn't seem to have had any other connection with the region. She was born in Wurttemberg and worked in Silesia (in what would have been a German-speaking household). Her father's career seems to have been entirely in German-speaking states, so she probably wouldn't have had much use for Czech - unless the parents spoke it privately, at home.
Your guess is as good as mine - but this would make sense to me.

 

[StephenT]

Writing her diary in German seems fairly conclusive, unless of course she did it for practice!
Thanks

 

[PANGI]

Well that pretty much means that she didnt know czech well enough but it doesnt necesarry means that she think of herself as german (but i think so...she definitely didnt think of herself as french). Her background was german so thinking of being czech would have practically political meaning so not something you would expect from her.
I know Hitler accused Franz Ferdinand of being czechophile and that Sophie was forcing their children to speak czech but thats absolute nonsense.

 

[Tufto]

Would the aristocratic classes of the empire have taken such marks of national identification a this point?

 

[Dr.Livingstone]

I think that the Bohemian royal family spoke German in private. All the literature I've read concerning Bohemian nobility describes a German rather than Czech accent.

Would the aristocratic classes of the empire have taken such marks of national identification a this point?

I would imagine at least some would. Their subjects certainly did.

 

[PANGI]

Would the aristocratic classes of the empire have taken such marks of national identification a this point?

There were members of czech nobility involved in nationalist movement. Even those their roots werent so deeply bohemian.
Ironically in following years after 1918 republic proclamation their fate was rather sad. If youre interested in this topic you can search for Eagle Glassheim's book "Noble nationalists".

I think that the Bohemian royal family spoke German in private. All the literature I've read concerning Bohemian nobility describes a German rather than Czech accent.

What family do you mean?

 

[Sarmatia1871]

Would the aristocratic classes of the empire have taken such marks of national identification a this point?

Some would, some wouldn't. Ditto to pretty much every other social group. National or ethnic identities in the Habsburg empire were quite complex, often fluid, and often less important than class, dynastic, regional or confessional ones. And that's even before you get to the extensive intermarriage among aristocratic families from different areas.

As has already been mentioned, there were quite a lot of early and prominent nationalists among the gentry, particularly in Polish, Czech and Hungarian territories. But then for others, even the choice of whether one is "Czech" or "German" wasn't really something which meant very much - "Bohemian" was as much an identity of its own.

 

[wingo]

Hopefully a simple question: what nationality was she? What was her native language?

What I already know is that she was a subject of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although born in Stuttgart in what was then (in 1868) the Kingdom of Württemberg. Her father Bohuslaw Graf Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin was the Austrian ambassador to Württemberg.

He is usually referred to as "a member of the Bohemian nobility", and by extension she is also called 'Bohemian' or even 'Czech' in modern sources. But would she have thought of herself as Czech, or as German? Which language did she speak as a child?

Her father`s name sounds Polish to make matters even more muddy

 

[PANGI]

No. This is just the written form of his name and titles in german. Looks a bit polish maybe...

EDIT: czech form: Bohuslav Chotek z Chotkova a Vojnína

 

[wingo]

That definitely sounds Czech now