Joseph Franz Auersperg

He published a pastoral letter about the 1782 Imperial Edict of Tolerance,[2] which among other things, extended religious freedom to the Jewish population in the Austrian empire.

In the future, confessional mixed marriages were no longer to require Catholic education of the children, the use of the rosary and holy water was to be permitted only with the greatest caution, and the hanging of pennies and other customs that could strengthen the superstition of the people were to be forbidden.

[4] Supported by his brother Count Johann von Auersperg, whom he made vicar general, he carried out drastic reforms in the following years.

He fought against various forms of popular piety, had images of saints removed that were objected to during visitations, and forbade sermons against Protestants.

[3] Under Auersperg, in addition to the court theater with the Redoutenhaus, schoolhouses, hospitals, administrative buildings, roads and bridges were built, in particular the Inn promenade in Passau.

He had court architect and lifelong friend Johann Georg von Hagenauer build Schloss Freudenhain as a summer residence, which included an important park.