Jakob Eltz
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Count Johann Jakob Eltz (Croatian: Jakov grof Eltz-Vukovarski) (September 22, 1921 – February 10, 2006) was a German noble and a Croatian politician who became a key figure in Croatian politics during the 1990s. He is often styled as the count of Vukovar (vukovarski grof).
[edit] Early life
Jakob Eltz was born in Kleinheubach, Bavaria, Germany to the eminent Eltz family, Roman Catholic nobles with ties to Croatia since 1736, when his ancestor Philipp Karl zu Eltz (Prince Elector and Archbishop of Mainz) bought the Lordship of Vukovar. The family owned several estates in Slavonia, including the Eltz castle in Vukovar. When Eltz was seven months old, his father died in a car crash, and his mother then decided to move to Vukovar, where Eltz spent his childhood and attended private schools.
He decided to study agronomics and went to the study at Zagreb and then Tetschen. Eltz was 18 years old when World War II broke out, and refused to join the Nazis, although he was eventually forced in 1944. Following the German's defeat a year later, all of the Eltz property was seized by the communists when Tito took power. He then went to live in West Germany, where he became a professor of viticulture at Mainz University, and also became a deputy of the Knights of Malta. He got married and together with his wife had nine children. He was also known for his charity work and pilgrimages to Lourdes during this time.
[edit] Role in Croatian government
Eltz returned to Vukovar in 1991 after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia where he began working with political leaders to help reconstruct the government. That same year, war broke out and Vukovar became the prime target of shelling by the heavily armed Serbs. He was present during the beginning of the Battle of Vukovar helping with the city's defence and even took up arms to defend it, despite being 70 years old (the Eltz Castle was destroyed during the battle and the tomb and bodies of the Eltz family desecrated). Due to his popularity, he was persuaded to run for office, and was elected by a large majority to the Croatian parliament in 1992 as an independent candidate for Vukovar. He also became a member of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe where he promoted Croatia's case to joining the European Union.
He continued serving in the parliament until his retirement in 1999, and was so highly regarded that he was asked to continue as an honorary member in his own right. He also spoke six languages: Croatian, German, English, French, Italian, and Latin. He died in 2006 in Eltville, Germany.
