Franz Joseph - Tumblr Posts
100th Anniversary celebration on the occasion of the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig on Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz đ„
The 20th of October is here as well as the aftermath of the Völkerschacht: 209 years ago field-marshal Schwarzenberg had finished a letter to his beloved wife where he recited to her the events of the past four days and announced the decisive victory of the allied forces in the Battle of Leipzig. Then - exactly a hundred years later - people in Vienna celebrated one more anniversary of the Battle of the Nations. And since it was a round date, there exists a thorough photographic recording of that illustrious commemoration. đ„đïž
Thatâs what Iâd love to present to you today. :)
At first, when I found those photos and looked through them all, I sensed some kind of a deja-vu. Probably because of how much documentary sources is left after the 100th anniversary celebration of the year of 1812 in Russia. Weâve seen a bunch of photo- and video reportages about it in various museums - with tsar Nicolas II and all of his relatives being present there, obviously. Thatâs probably why I felt an incredible joy while looking at this new chronicle I was able to discover.
Itâs truly amazing - not only to learn about a historical epoch but also to see what impact it had on the times which followed. I can say with some amount of confidence: Napoleonic experience wasnât always used for good - especially in the beginning of the 20th century. However, itâs part of the history to the same extent now and Iâm inclined to perceive it in those forms that are available to us.
Especially when we can observe something - or someone - extraordinary in a very-very-very close proximity! đïžđïž
You probably already know what I mean from the photos above, since they depict one of the most recognisable figures in Austrian history - of flesh and blood! đŠđč
But thereâs one more important person who was officially present at a such formal and meaningful event! He also deserves recognition, undoubtedly, especially when we remember that the anniversary took place in October 1913. And - oh boy - what is coming catastrophically soonâŠ
This, let me finally introduce you to these honourable (or maybe not so) gentlemen - here are one of the most renowned emperors in the modern European history, Kaiser Franz Joseph I of Austria, who had actually celebrated his 83rd Birthday two months ago, and an equally infamous Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Ăsterreich-Este, who was murdered 9 months later in one world-famous Serbian city.
What can I say? Well, itâs⊠fascinating. Unbelievably fascinating to look at them both having a stroll through the capital city on an anniversary event which connected the distant Napoleonic past with their own present so tightly.
In my opinion, Franz Joseph could have definitely âfelt the feelsâ at that time: after all, he was the one who stood at the opening ceremony of the same exact field-marshal Schwarzenbergâs monument in the year 1867. He was also an emperor whom three of prince Karlâs sons - Friedrich, Karl and Edmund - served faithfully until their dying breaths. Helped him secure his positions on an Austrian throne in the turbulent years of 1848 - 1849, for example.
And thatâs the sort of ancestral aristocratic continuity that sometimes makes the head spin. đïž