Joseph von Petrasch

Joseph Leopold Freiherr von Petrasch (* October 19, 1714 in Brod on the Sava, Slavonia, † May 15 1772 in Neuschloß, Moravia, Czech: Josef Petráš ) was a writer and philologist and founder of Olomouc incognitorum Societas, the first learned society in the spirit of the Enlightenment in the Habsburg lands.

In his military service, he was adjutant of Prince Eugene of Savoy. On March 27, 1750 Petrasch purchased the domain Neuschloß for 85,600 guilders. After leaving Olomouc 1758, he moved to Neuschloss and brought the rule to a cultural flowering. In the castle were made performances of self-written plays. In addition Petrasch put on an extensive library with valuable first editions and foreign plants.

Petrasch left four daughters. His eldest daughter Antonia Countess of Pütring died, 1781. Their sisters Karolina by Lipowsky, Maria Anna of Petrasch and Josepha von Hochberg Neuschloss sold in 1789 for 100,000 florins to Johann Nepomuk Wengersky of Ungarschitz.