Das k.(u.) k.Kultusprotektorat in Albanien

After the statement of the legal position of the Christians in the Turkish Empire, the position of the Austrian protectorate of basic cultural affairs of the Roman Catholic church (=religious protectorate) and the protectorates of other states the development of the religious protectorate in the 19th century in the historical associated area is described and the rights and duties of Austria are clearly summarized. After the presentation of the Albanian Dioceses of the living conditions of the catholic clergy with the official subventions at this time are considered. By the influence of the priests the religious attitude of the Albanians is changing slowly. Austria hoped to influence the population to be friendly to the Monarchy and had to come into experience with several disapointments. With a few examples the legal difference of Catholics and Muslims before the year of 1900 was shown, who should be in the same order after the law. Achievements of Austria-Hungary for churches, presbyteries, interventions for possessions of the church are explained. Catholic schools were founded with Austrian money. The costs for the education of the clergy of the world since 1860 mainly and the coming Franciscans since 1882 were paid totally by Austria-Hungary. The money came from religious gifts and tax money. In the 19th century the expense for the religious protectorate in Albania until 1897 came to two million florin. From 1898 - 1911one and a half million florin more had be paid. From 1912 - 1918 for the same region every year it had to be paid a quarter of a million florin. This enormous rate of increase was necessary, because Italy invested a lot of money since the ende of the 19th century in Italian schools and the extension of infrastructure (ship connetions, post, health). For not to be seen as an enemy by Turkey, Austria was not the official donator of money, but for the Turkish authority it was the headquater of the Franciscans or the Propaganda Fide in Rome. For this covering up Austria- Hungary could not intervene directly when there was a dissatisfaction, but had to operate in Rome. For this secretiveness the protectorate of cultural affairs also was very unknown by high politicans and diplomats. It need not to be astonished that top officials of the see of Rome as cardinal Howard nearly had knowledge of this. At least the beginning of 20th century Austria tried to spread knowledge about this. Rome needed the money of Austria and for these wishes in time and discretely expressed before a consercration of an episcopal or an appeal of a master of an order in Albania was taken into account or to discipline unpopular persons and even episcopals to abdicate voluntary. The influence of Austria to the Catholics in Albania mostly was combat by France and Italy. A dangerous adversary of the protectorate for Austria was the newly created Armenian-catholic patriarchy. The teaching language for clerics and lays was Italian. When towards the end of the 19th century the trade of Italy increased and that of Austria decreased, Vienna propagated "Albania for the Albanians". It began to push back Italian in the teaching against several resistances and to use Albanian. When Italy joined to the alliance of the Western Powers in the I.st World War, all of the missionaries who were Italians were removed of northern Albania. All catholic schools in the territory of the Albanians were represented shortly, and the Italian concurrence schools were praised. The attitude of the young Turkeys to the Protectorate of cultural affairs was discussed about, in one chapter it was tried to look at the Protectorate of cultural affairs with turkish eyes. In the eyes of Albania Austria- Hungary was the nation who made an advantage of this creation of a state for himself (a disadvantage for Italy) for the "Albanisierung" and the belief of this state to grow. By the Austrian politic of education the new Catholics gained an disproportionate influence.