Viribus unitis: Wie könnte die europäische Cultur nach Bosnien verpflanzt werden?

A curious snapshot of late‑19th‑century ambition, the text lays out a grand scheme to “plant” European culture across the occupied Balkans. It proposes a Vienna‑based joint‑stock company, Zadruga, seeded with thirty million gulden, that would gradually acquire up to 250 square miles of Bosnian land through purchase or, if needed, expropriation. The plan promises generous tax exemptions and a modest per‑capita fee, while directing surplus revenues toward agriculture, mining, industry, and the moral and intellectual uplift of the local population.

Beyond the dry legalese, the document reveals the era’s blend of economic optimism and paternalistic “civilising” rhetoric. It details how the Austrian government would oversee key decisions, from the appointment of officials to the timing of share lotteries, ensuring that the venture remains tightly bound to state interests. For listeners, the work offers a rare glimpse into the administrative language and grandiose expectations that shaped colonial projects before modern notions of sovereignty and cultural exchange took hold.