The Palacký and Rieger families and the motto ‘Let’s not give in!’ – How can we break free from stereotypes?

The Riegers are not merely a historical name from a textbook. They are associated with Semily, the Rieger Trail and the romantic valley of the River Jizera, as well as Prague’s Vinohrady district and Rieger Park, which offers a magnificent view of Hradčany. The Riegers are also associated with the halls of the National Museum and the tranquillity of the English park at Maleč Castle. These names also recall the family linked to František Palacký – the ‘father of the nation’ – whose daughter Marie became the wife of František Ladislav Rieger. The Rieger family shows that Czech history was shaped not only by institutions, but also by households, family ties and the places where people retreated to privacy after attending to public affairs.

From Semily to the world of politics

František Ladislav Rieger (1818–1903) was born in Semily. Today, you can walk the Rieger Trail through the romantic Jizera Gorge, or stop by Rieger’s cottage. It is here that the story begins of a man who became one of the leading figures in 19th-century Czech politics.

He studied law, worked as a journalist and quickly became involved in public life. Following the revolutionary year of 1848, he became one of the most prominent figures of the Czech national movement. His collaboration with František Palacký went far beyond politics – it was also a family affair. His marriage to Marie Palacká in 1853 brought together two intellectual worlds.

The Prague flat where both men lived and worked is now the František Palacký and František Ladislav Rieger Memorial. It was here that strategies, articles and speeches were crafted – and it was here that the vision of a modern Czech society took shape.

The Nation, the Theatre and a Noble Title

Rieger and Palacký were at the forefront of the emergence of modern Czech institutions. They played a significant role in the establishment of the National Museum and also in the founding of the National Theatre. In recognition of his services, Rieger was awarded the Order of the Iron Crown, Second Class, by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1881, which led to his elevation to the nobility. However, Rieger, now Baron Rieger, did not accept his title of nobility until 1897, largely due to his political career and his family’s objections.

The family remained deeply rooted in the Czech community. Rieger’s Gardens in Prague’s Vinohrady district now bear his name and are among the most beautiful spots offering views of Prague Castle. You will also find the name Rieger on the obelisk in Hořice, on Kozákov in the Bohemian Paradise, where Rieger’s Cottage is located, and in other places too.

Maleč – the family retreat

Maleč Castle in the Vysočina region became a true symbol of the family. This castle, surrounded by an English park and a pond, was a place of rest, gatherings and family continuity. Today, you will find the F. L. Rieger and F. Palacký Memorial here.

The Rieger family was one of the modern Czech noble families, though the male line lasted only four generations. Rieger’s descendants worked as lawyers, historians, philosophers, diplomats and scientists. The youngest male descendant, the mathematician and logician Ladislav Svante Rieger, died in 1963, and with that the family died out in the male line. After 1950, Maleč Castle was among the expropriated properties, but later it returned to the hands of the descendants in the female line.

The Riegers in the documentary and in the landscape

The story of this family also featured in the Czech Television documentary series Modrá krev (Blue Blood), which profiles significant noble families of the Czech lands. Here too, it is emphasised that for Rieger, the noble title was more a by-product of his lifelong work for the nation than an end in itself.

Today, people can follow in the footsteps of František Ladislav Rieger from Prague to Semily, Kozákov and Malče. The places where speeches, political plans and family matters took shape are not mere historical relics – they are destinations for excursions, stops and discovery.

A linguistic aside: Where does the ‘e’ in the name Rieger go?

You may have wondered whilst reading: how is the name Rieger correctly declined? Does the letter ‘e’ disappear during declension?

The declension of masculine names ending in -er can vary. Generally speaking, the -e- usually remains in foreign names. For Czech names, it depends on family customs, and for well-known figures, also on traditional practices.

According to data from the Czech National Corpus, the predominant forms of the name Rieger omit the -e-: namely Riegra, Riegrovi, Riegrem. This applies even more clearly to possessive adjectives, which frequently appear in place names – hence, for example, Riegrová stezka, Riegrová chata or Riegrův obelisk. Various examples illustrate how this is interpreted differently: whilst in Prague you will walk through Riegrovy sady, in Cheb you will find Reigerovy sady.