I’ve decided to ask the people of the forums this question. Seeing how little sources there are on this I was wondering if the alleged exchange between Alexander II and Johann II happened at all. I personally think if this happened it was merely a joke suggestion or two royals just talking and not really in serious discussion about a purchase.
Lichtenstein Alaska: Was it a real proposal?
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Rattenfänger von Memphis
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It was not a joke and it was a serious offer. If you go to the Wikipedia article "Johann II, Prince of Liechenstein", there is this quote:
8. ИноСМИ (21 December 2019). "Русская Америка на продажу: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок?". ИноСМИ.Ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
By clicking on this link, it will take you to a Russian language history website. I have a feature on my computer (you probably do as well) which translates foreign languages into English. This is the English translation of this part of the story. (Prince Hans-Adam II is the current Prince of Liechenstein).
Then you can click on the footnote at the end of this quote, numbered (8), which looks like this:Wikipedia said:
8. ИноСМИ (21 December 2019). "Русская Америка на продажу: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок?". ИноСМИ.Ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
By clicking on this link, it will take you to a Russian language history website. I have a feature on my computer (you probably do as well) which translates foreign languages into English. This is the English translation of this part of the story. (Prince Hans-Adam II is the current Prince of Liechenstein).
Russian language history website said:
Rattenfänger von Memphis
Donor
Another website, The Generalist Academy, has some more information in their article “Prince of Alaska”
The Generalist Academy said:
Some random news websites are not a reliable sources. And ultimately, when it goes to talk about the supposed Liechenstein deal, it provides no source other than "trust the royal family". The royal family has not provided any tangible proof that there was an offer. It's all hearsay.
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Checking it out, it looks like an “oral tradition”, and the current head of state of Liechtenstein claims the reason no documents on this exist is because they were destroyed in the Russian Revolution - awfully convenient, but does close the door on finding real proof that this offer ever existed.
To be overly charitable to the head of state of that country, it was something the Russian tsar talked about with his ancestor casually, and nothing came of it, and with family stories it got exaggerated into a real offer.
To be overly charitable to the head of state of that country, it was something the Russian tsar talked about with his ancestor casually, and nothing came of it, and with family stories it got exaggerated into a real offer.
Advance: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок? (Advance, Хорватия)
В 1867 году русские продали Аляску США практически за бесценок. Похоже на сделку, о которой они обречены жалеть вечно, пишет хорватское издание. Но тогда... | 21.10.2019, ИноСМИ
inosmi.ru
Русская Америка на продажу: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок?
В 1867 году русские продали Аляску США практически за бесценок. Похоже на сделку, о которой они обречены жалеть вечно, пишет хорватское издание. Но тогда русские пытались продать Аляску как можно скорее! И на это были причины. Кроме того, США были не первыми, кому Российская империя предложила...
web.archive.org
Even if it was sold to Liechtenstein I do not see them holding it from either the UK or the USA.
In the short run maybe the could hold it, but not in the long run.Advance: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок? (Advance, Хорватия)
В 1867 году русские продали Аляску США практически за бесценок. Похоже на сделку, о которой они обречены жалеть вечно, пишет хорватское издание. Но тогда... | 21.10.2019, ИноСМИCan be translated into English.Русская Америка на продажу: как и почему Россия продала Аляску США за бесценок?
В 1867 году русские продали Аляску США практически за бесценок. Похоже на сделку, о которой они обречены жалеть вечно, пишет хорватское издание. Но тогда русские пытались продать Аляску как можно скорее! И на это были причины. Кроме того, США были не первыми, кому Российская империя предложила...
Even if it was sold to Liechtenstein I do not see them holding it from either the UK or the USA.
You risk having a "Texas" situation with Canadian and American prospectors flooding Alaska and turning to their mother country the moment a Liechtensteiner official try to apply some rules.
This is what is says, so source, no proof, just taking the royal family at face value
"Very few people know that the Russian Tsar offered to buy Alaska from Liechtenstein in 1867."
This link is to a pdf file (in German) about the TV programme which first mentioned it. It starts with 'Prince Hans-Adam II assures: “Alaska offer is not a rumour”' but the section which starts 'No evidence for Alaska "fact"' ('Keine Quelle für Alaska-«Fact»') makes it clear that there's absolutely no written evidence. The reasons given for this lack of evidence do sound reasonable, so it could be true (non-existence of evidence is not evidence of non-existence) but it certainly can't be verified unless such evidence does turn up.
Why lie about it though, especially since it's admitting a failure.
"We passed on the chance to massively improve our country."
Was it? Wasn't the Alaska Purchase known as Seward's Folly in the US for quite a while following the purchase?
The relevant part says "Also that the Russian Tsar in the year 1867 offered Liechtenstein Alaska for purchase is something known by few".
I would like to see Lichtenstein
So in order to make this Lichtenstein either needs to somehow fly under the radar like the Swiss otl
en.wikipedia.org
Or otherwise find a nation to guarantee their independence to make this work long term. (Lichtenstein may be able to grease the wheels of finding a benefactor and develop a mutually beneficial relationship by offering to give them a cut of the mineral rights from deposits discovered by them surveying the territory on behalf of Lichtenstein as a kind of finders fee) I am thinking France might be a good benefactor since they don't strike me as predatory and got oddly interested in pacific colonization (primarily in the south pacific) and may support Lichtenstein as a means of undercutting rivel competitors like the Germans.
Possible but its also awkward for the invading power to try to justify a conflict by saying "the evil Lichtenstein is oppressing our citizens". Still i agree with your sentiment, Unless Lichtenstein flies under the radar someone will eventually come for them, if not the Americans and Canadians it may be the Japanese, Germans or Italians for example (the colonial late comers who desire a place in the sun and missed out on earlier colonization may not care about being perceived as picking on the little guy if it means getting a larger slice of "sun").
So in order to make this Lichtenstein either needs to somehow fly under the radar like the Swiss otl
Swiss neutrality - Wikipedia
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Liechtenstein was very closely tied to Austria-Hungary and I suspect any Liechtensteiner Alaska would end up a de facto Habsburg colony.I would like to see Lichtenstein
Possible but its also awkward for the invading power to try to justify a conflict by saying "the evil Lichtenstein is oppressing our citizens". Still i agree with your sentiment, Unless Lichtenstein flies under the radar someone will eventually come for them, if not the Americans and Canadians it may be the Japanese, Germans or Italians for example (the colonial late comers who desire a place in the sun and missed out on earlier colonization may not care about being perceived as picking on the little guy if it means getting a larger slice of "sun").
So in order to make this Lichtenstein either needs to somehow fly under the radar like the Swiss otl
Or otherwise find a nation to guarantee their independence to make this work long term. (Lichtenstein may be able to grease the wheels of finding a benefactor and develop a mutually beneficial relationship by offering to give them a cut of the mineral rights from deposits discovered by them surveying the territory on behalf of Lichtenstein as a kind of finders fee) I am thinking France might be a good benefactor since they don't strike me as predatory and got oddly interested in pacific colonization (primarily in the south pacific) and may support Lichtenstein as a means of undercutting rivel competitors like the Germans.Swiss neutrality - Wikipedia
It was, but in hindsight it's easy to say they made a massive mistake not taking it.
Though considering it's a small landlocked country others are probable right they couldn't keep it.
Losing it in a war without any compensation would be the worst outcome, but anything else they'd come out ahead.
If its obvious that they couldn't keep it, they could very well try to sell it of again for a profit.
I just clicked on this thread and I am typing this as a quick answer, so I am not aware if other people have already pointed this out.
Alaska was proposed to be sold to the Prince of Liechtenstein, not to the state of Liechtenstein itself, as if Alaska would become a Municipality of the country, Alaska was going to become the Prince's private property, like what the Congo Free State was to King Leopold II of Belgium.
Alaska was proposed to be sold to the Prince of Liechtenstein, not to the state of Liechtenstein itself, as if Alaska would become a Municipality of the country, Alaska was going to become the Prince's private property, like what the Congo Free State was to King Leopold II of Belgium.