The House of Dietrichstein

In 1626, Helfštýn was caught up in the theatre of war. At the time, it was administered by Olomouc Bishop Franz von Dietrichstein, who obtained the castle from Emperor Ferdinand II as confiscated property after the death of George of Bruntál & Vrbno. The Danish army of General Mansfeld tried to conquer the castle but to no effect. A paradoxical situation occurred during the conquest of Helfštýn in 1643 when Stephen of Bruntál & Vrbno, younger brother of the former owner of the castle, George of Bruntál & Vrbno, was in command of the fortress. This imperial officer who converted to Catholicism succeeded in protecting the castle during the siege by the Swedish army. General Torstensson did not even conquer Helfštýn the second time in 1645. After the end of the Thirty Years’ War, the Dietrichstein authorities did not show much interest in further maintenance and investments in the unprofitable military facility. The palace served for storage of wine casks and grain. Following long discussions, the Military Council in Vienna ordered demolition of the facility in 1656. This did not eventuate in the total destruction of Helfštýn’s fortifications, but soldiers from Olomouc set fire to all wooden structures, undermined numerous parts of the ramparts, and worst of all, filled the castle well – the only source of fresh water at Helfštýn. This was the beginning of the long-term destruction of the castle.

Just seven years after the devastating ravages of Olomouc soldiers, the castle once again had a garrison of troops present, due to fear of a Turkish offensive. During those tense moments, the commanders ordered the most critical parts of the fortification temporarily repaired.

Those who inherited the legacy of their forefathers in a deplorable state was the House of Althann – the last aristocratic family to take care of Helfštýn and the successors of the House of Dietrichstein, who attempted to prevent the palace ruins being swallowed up by nature. Michael Karl Althann with his mother, Antoinette of Althann, started rescue construction works that continued up to the 1940s when the castle administration was permanently taken over by Czechoslovakia.

Antoinette of Althann, née Hatzfeldt-Wildenburg, commenced structural modifications after an accident at Helfštýn which several people were injured due to the poor condition of the castle. Her distant ancestors from the 17th century had been responsible for the intentional destruction of the former impregnable fortress.