Shortly after the birth of Joseph Franz, the marriage of his parent ended. His mother moved to Italy, where she remained the rest of her life. The child was left under the care of his father, who raised him with English views, which are considered at that time as the most progressive. Franz Joseph studied in Prague and Viena, where he attended to lectures of the called "Austrian Bolzano", Vincenz Weindtridta, later provost of Nikolsburg. Shortly after his marriage in 1821, Joseph Franz received from his father the Bohemian states of the family, and thanks to this he was one of the members of the family who became more close to the Czech nobility. Often stayed in Prague, he came into contact with Czech patriots and his ideas. Joseph Franz was one of the initiators of the Unity to encourage industry in the Czech Republic, which was founded in Prague on 1 March 1833, and during 1833-1840 he was his President. He further participated in the associational Prague life: he was a member of the Economic Company and the Society of the National Museum of the Kingdom of Bohemia. An avid collector of art and paintings, when he assumed the title of Prince of Dietrichstein after his father's death, he called from Prague the sculptorEmanuel Max to create his sculpture, which was placed after his completion in the Hall of Ancestors at Nikolsburg Castle. Having fathered only four daughters and also neither of his male relatives had surviving male issue, in the 1850s for Joseph Franz was clear that the House of Dietrichstein was doomed to extinction. In 1856, he entered into an agreement with the last surviving male of the family, his uncle Moritz about the future of the family's heritage. Moritz, following the primogeniture, assumed the succession of the princely title, but the lands and properties where divided among the four daughters of Joseph Franz. During a visit to his youngest daughter, Joseph Franz died at Frýdlant Castle in 1858, aged 60. He was buried in the family crypt at Nikolsburg Castle.
Theresia, married on 15 November 1849 to Count Johann Frederick of Herberstein. She inherited the Fideikomiss received from Gundacar of Dietrichstein in 1690, who contained, among other things, Libochovice Palace and the Austrian estates in Vienna, in addition with Dolní Kounice, Ptuj Castle in Slovenia and the Hungarian estates.
Alexandrine Maria, married on 28 April 1857 to Count Alexander of Mensdorff-Pouilly. She inherited the most important assets: Nikolsburg with his castle, another palaces in Vienna and the Weidlingau villa.
An important and extensive ancestral graphic collection, which dates have not yet been processed, where inherited by both Theresia and Gabriele. The four sisters also shared a collection of paintings and family portraits later held in Vienna. The core of the family portraits, however, remained intact at Nikolsburg Castle. In late 1868, Alexandrine's husband, Count Alexander of Mensdorff-Pouilly, obtained from the Emperor the title of Prince of Dietrichstein-Nikolsburg, thus reviving the title of his wife's family. The title of Count of Proskau passed to the only son of Theresia, who in 1896 changed his title to Count of Herberstein-Proskau.
