‘The Life & Death of States’ and ‘Vienna’ reviews
New books by Natasha Wheatley and Richard Cockett explain how for all its apparent anachronism the Hapsburg empire, and its capital, shaped the modern world.
Austria
Kaiser Karl and the End of the Habsburgs
Fifth in line to the throne, Karl I was not expected to become the Habsburg emperor. By the time he did, in 1916, it was already too late for the crumbling empire.
Love Is Dead
Newly discovered letters get us closer to understanding the tragic truth of royal murder-suicide at Mayerling.
The Real Third Man: Policing Postwar Vienna
At the centre of a war-shattered Europe, Vienna was divided between the victorious Allied powers. Restoring civil society proved a major challenge.
Radetzky’s March into Obscurity
Under the command of Josef Radetzky, the Habsburg army held its grip on Italy during a period of revolutionary unrest across Europe. Yet today his achievements are rarely celebrated.
The World's First Indoor Ski Slope
The Austrian attraction was located in an unused train station with artificial snow made from soft drinks.
The Holy Roman Ring Road
Emperor Franz Joseph officially opened the Ringstrasse on May 1st, 1865. Adrian Mourby looks at its 150 years as a Viennese landmark.
Prince Eugene and Turin, 1706
During the War of the Spanish Succession the Austrian commander marched westward from the Alps across Italy to win a remarkable battle.
The Last days of the Habsburg Monarchy
In November 1918, writes Norman Stone, a whole political and social order in central Europe came to an end.
Strange Guests at Hotel de l’Europe
Was one of Europe's finest hotels occupied by members of the English working class during the interwar years?