Europe before World War I. Note how Austria-Hungary dominated Central Europe.
Austria-Hungary was huge at 261,243 square miles in area with a diverse population of 52,800,000. Vienna, at 2.1 million strong, was one of the biggest cities in the world and at a peak of intellectual and cultural life.
Life was good. There hadn't been a war since the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, no epidemics of plague for 200 years, people lived longer, more children survived childhood. The inventions of the Industrial Revolution changed daily life. Technology and innovation flourished, from automobiles, ships and planes to chemicals and manufacturing. Things would just continue to improve into a roseate future.
This is what women were wearing in 1910.
Here is a depiction of a car in early 1900s Austria.
This is a 1910 Austro-Daimler.
Shipbuilding thrived on Austria-Hungary's long seacoast in its Croatian province. This is the Battleship Habsburg, built in 1899, which fought in World War I and was scrapped by the British in 1921.
So what happened to destroy this idyllic existence? No one really wants a war, but people get caught up in patriotism and excitement. They can't see past their current fervor - they especially can't see into a future of defeat, death and destruction.
It began with Crown Prince Rudolph's death in 1889 (whether by death or suicide is still in question [see blog # 63]). Since he was the only son of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth (Sisi), the new heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was Franz Joseph's nephew, Franz Ferdinand. This is him with his wife, Sophie.
Franz Ferdinand was a stubborn customer and refused to take precautions for his safety even though he was repeatedly warned. In the summer of 1914 he and Sophie, were on a junket in Sarajevo, Bosnia when they were assassinated by a tubercular and insane Serbian anarchist.
Well, of course the government of Austria-Hungary went nuts. Without considering all - or any of - the ramifications they issued demands on Serbia that no self-respecting nation could accept. Emperor Franz Joseph was the first to declare war. As Serbia's historic ally, Russia jumped in to declare war on Austria-Hungary, followed by Germany declaring war on Russia. England and France, allied with Russia in the Triple Entente, followed the domino effect and declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary. Some minor ones joined each side. Everyone behaved like idiots and plunged Europe into "the war to end all wars" - I'd love to know what idiot deemed the war that!
Allies and enemies in World War I
Note that the Central Powers Alliance (in red on this map) consisted of Austria-Hungary, Germany (dotted border line between them), the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Interesting that Austria should be allied with the Ottoman Turks after fighting them for so many centuries. The Allied Powers (in dark blue on the map) consisted of the Britain, France, Russia, Italy and later the U.S. Neutral countries are in green. Klingenbach is the yellow dot right in the middle of Austria-Hungary.
At the beginning war is patriotic and flashy. Everyone cheers and predicts the war will end by Christmas.
This is the way Austrian soldiers looked when the war began.
These are bayonets for Austrian soldiers' guns.
This is a typical Austrian dugout, from the World War I Museum in Gorizia, Italy (on the Slovenia border). What caught my eye were the gas mask and the picture of Emperor Franz Joseph.
These are Austrian Uhlans (cavalry regiments) riding to battle in 1915. It's odd to see cavalry in a war that introduced airplanes and tanks to the battlefield, but horses were still frequently used.
These are Austrian soldiers in one of the common trenches.
This is what war descends to - the chaos of the battlefield.
Both sides bogged down in trench warfare. In four years millions died while the front hardly changed. The logjam was finally broken by the entry into the war of America whose fresh troops turned the tide. The Influenza Epidemic of 1918 (which killed 25 to 50 million people worldwide) may have played a part, too, since it attacked the Central Powers before the Allies and caused widespread illness and deaths in the armies.
The Allies had 22 million casualties, including 5 million dead; the Central Powers had 37 million casualties, including 8.5 million dead. In particular, Austria-Hungary mobilized 7,800,000 men, of whom 1,200,000 died, 3,620,000 were wounded, 2,200,000 were missing or POWs, and 32,000 died of disease.
After wars, people want to remember the fallen and honor the brave. This is the Commemorative War Medal issued by Austria.
On November 11, 1918 the guns fell silent. The war was over, and Austria-Hungary was on the losing side. Now she had to face the rage and bitterness of the victors who were very angry at Austria-Hungary for starting the war.
So how to get revenge? Britain and France were beyond ticked off; they had both lost the cream of a generation, and the aristocracy was basically destroyed in Britain. The two countries redrew the map of Europe and severely punished Austria-Hungary. The country was reduced to 12% of its former size and 11% of its population. Unlike Germany, the new tiny Austria didn't have to pay war reparations because the Allies determined Austria would have no way to pay them, certainly a reflection of how little the country retained. (On a side note, Britain and France also redrew the map of the Middle East, creating the modern borders of countries like Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Their efforts there have certainly led to some "interesting" results that still afflict us today.)
Europe after World War I. Austria is the tiny dark blue country in the middle of Europe. Klngenbach - the red dot - is back in its customary position on the border.
After the war there was an event that directly affected the future of Klingenbach. The German inhabitants of far-western Hungary wanted to join Austria. Ethnic Germans made up 74% of the population, Croats 15% and Hungarian only 9%. Hungary protested, but the Allies set a date for Burgenland's official unification with Austria in 1921. A vote had to be held with the result that all of the area voted to go with Austria except the Hungarian town and area of Sopron (German - Odenburg) which was supposed to be the capital of Burgenland. The small town of Eisenstadt was chosen to be the new capital of Burgenland ("land of castles"). Klingenbach has been officially Hungarian more than Austrian in its history, but it was now once again part of Austria.
So life continued for the citizens of Austria. During the 1920s however, with terrible inflation and economic disaster, many citizens of Burgenland emigrated to America or Canada. In some places up to 25% left.
This was fashion in 1918. That may have been the style in Vienna, but I suspect farmers in Klingenbach didn't dress that way.
These are typical Burgenland men in Croatian dress.
Riding to the vineyards in Burgenland in the '20s. Some things don't change - this reminds me of when I rode to the vineyards with the Biricz family.
Among famous people who came from Austria during this period was the Viennese actress Gretl Berndt.
Probably the most famous woman to come from Austria was Viennese-born actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000).
Here are the kind of fashions Hedy Lamarr or the women of Vienna might have worn.
This is a painting of a typical Burgenland peasant of the period.
And here is what Klingenbach women commonly wore at that time.
The caption on this picture said it was women of Burgenland but doesn't name a specific village. It looks like it could be Klingenbach.
So once again the people of Klingenbach went about their daily lives as inhabitants of small towns and villages always do. Perhaps they were aware of great things happening in Europe, especially in the country to their north, but I suspect they thought that it wouldn't really influence their lives. Maybe they thought that the calamity of World War I was the worst that could happen. You always see that in people's recollections; they always say they didn't think it would affect them and are surprised when the cataclysm engulfs them.
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