Thunder At Twilight: Vienna 1913/1914

by Frederic Morton

  But soon after 1989-the year of this book's publication-history dropped the other shoe. With cannon and sniper it began to disembowel Princip's utopia.

  Today, in 2001, Yugoslavia is a minefield rather than a country. It consists of Serbia in turmoil clutching a simmering Montenegro. Slovenia, Croatia, and Macedonia have fought themselves apart into separate states. The province of Kosovo is an explosive U.N. protectorate. Two adversarial entities-one Muslim, one Serb-form Bosnia, each with its own parlia ment, police, and army. Croat troops ruined much of the Gravoho valley where Princip first brooded over his Pan-Slav ideals.

  In the course of the last century, a pageant of the futilities Max Weber had in mind has moved past the corner of Appel Quai and Rudolf Street in Sarajevo. Here on a bright June morning in 1914 the two most fateful pistol shots of all time rang out. After the deed, Austria erected here a column in honor of the slain archduke. This yielded to a memorial to the slayer, put up by postwar Yugoslavia: The spot where Princip had pointed his weapon was marked, Hollywood-fashion, by footprints sunk in concrete. They celebrated Gavrilo Princip as megastar of Serb valor. Then, in 1997, the Muslim-dominated municipality of Sarajevo, hostile to all Serb insignia, used a jackhammer to pulverize Princip's sidewalk immortality.

  One irony succeeds another. For what authority will prevent Serbs from avenging this insult to Princip's remembrance? It is the office of the High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, instituted by the international community of fifty-five nations signing the Dayton Peace Accord in 1995. And who enforces the directives of the High Representative to keep the peace among ethnic strains and to establish democracy in Bosnia? A contingent of 25,000 NATO-led troops. Its headquarters are located in Ilidze, near Sarajevo, bristling with barbed wire and sandbag revetments. In 1914 this very building, then known as the Hotel Bosna, was the final lodging of the archduke and his wife before their murder the next morning. The landscape teems with paradoxes.

  Not least among them is the background of Wolfgang Petritsch, the High Representative himself, appointed on the eighty-sixth anniversary of Franz Ferdinand's assassination. He has the power to dismiss Bosnian officials high or low and to dissolve parliament. His job before his present position was as Vienna's ambassador to Belgrade. He is, of all things, one of Austria's most brilliant diplomats. Letters threatening his life are often addressed to "His Honor Franz Ferdinand Petritsch."

  And so Vienna 1914 ghosts through Sarajevo 2001. The future keeps mocking the past. The past, in eerie resilience, keeps shadowing the present.

  — F. M.

  Acknowledgements

  WRITING THIS BOOK HAS MEANT INCURRING DEBTS OF GRATITUDE ON TWO continents.

  In the United States, my thanks go for vital assistance extended to me to Dr. Wolfgang Petritsch, head of the Austrian Information Service for North America, and his deputy, Dr. Irene Freudenschuss; to Dr. Wolfgang Waldner, Director of the Austrian Institute in New York, and to Friederike Zeitlhofer, the ever-patient, ever-forthcoming librarian of the Institute; to Dr. Walter Klement of the Austrian National Tourist Bureau in New York whose office has been generous with maps and geographical advice. I have also benefited from the tremendous resources of the New York Public Library. Pucek Kleinberger proved a source of comfort. Jonathan Kranz of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York aided this project with significant research. Martin Tanz and Dale Cou- dert were also helpful, as was David Kahn with his expertise on the history of military intelligence. I am also grateful to Minister Philip Hoyos of the Austrian Embassy in Washington, D.C.; to Roberta Corcoran; Sylvia Gardner-Wittgenstein; Dr. and Mrs. Erwin Chargaff; and my excellent copy editor, Gypsy da Silva.

  In Britain, Dr. Edward Timms of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, has generously shared his erudition with me.

  In Austria, the staff and stacks of the Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek have been indispensable to my labors and so has Dr. Brigitta Zessner-Spitzenberg of the Bildarchiv. I am much obliged to the Literarische Verwertungsgesellschaft- and to its President, the novelist Milo Dor-for grants awarded me. I owe Prince Karl von Schwarzenberg many thanks for fine-tuned information on diplomatic and aristocratic aspects of the period covered in this book. Hetti von Bohlen and Halbach provided valuable access to the unpublished memoirs of her father, Prince Alois von Auersperg. I have been the beneficiary of Count Michael von Wolkenstein's advice and of his liberality with Mohnstriezel. The editors of the Socialist Arbeiter Zeitung furnished photocopied back volumes of their newspaper and thereby gave me the sort of education without which this book could not have been written. Inge Santner- Cyrus and Adolf Holl have been wonderful cultural hosts by the Danube. Further support and ideas have come from Hilde Spiel, Ernst Trost, Peter Marboe, Ernst Wolf Marboe, Alfred Payrleitner, Dr. Kurt Scholz of the office of Mayor Zilk of Vienna, and, at a rough estimate, at least five other people I have left out because of lamentable holes in my memory. Last, and far from least, I want to mention Wolfgang Kraus among my Viennese helpmeets. As President of the Osterreichische Gesellschaft fur Literatur and as a personal friend, he has been a treasure.

  Now I come to a special category of thanks owed. There is my brother, Henry, Professor of Political Science at Queens College, CUNY. I have learned from his acumen and I have profited from the scholarship of his colleague, Professor Keith Eubank (History Dept., Queens College), who has given me crucial advice on researching facets of the genesis of the Great War. Robert Stewart, my editor at Scribners, has been the guardian angel of this book every step of the way. My wife, Marcia, was-as always-of incalculable help in shaping the manuscript.

  — F.M.

  Source references

  Periodicals are referred to by the following abbreviations:

  AZ Arbeiter Zeitung

  Fackel die Fackel

  Fremd. Fremdenblatt

  IWE Illustrirtes Wiener Extrablatt

  INSJ Intelligence and National Security Journal

  NFP Neue Freie Presse

  NWT Neues Wiener Tagblatt

  WMW Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift

  WZ Wiener Zeitung

  Books are referred to by author's last name except where more than one work by that author is cited in the Selected Bibliography, in which case an abbreviation of the title is included. Thus, Tuchman, Guns, and Tuchman, Proud Tower; Dedijer, Tito, and Dedijer, Sarajevo.

  CHAPTER 1 (pages 1-14)

  Bankruptcy Ball: IWE, Jan. 15, 1913; AZ, Jan. 15, 1913.

  Parliament vote: AZ, Jan. 16, 1913.

  Weather: AZ, Jan. 15–17, 1913.

  Auersperg ball: Auersperg, p. 65.

  Greengrocer ball: Schlogl, pp. 40–43.

  Trotsky details: My Life, pp. 230, 207-9; interviews with Dr. and Mrs. Erwin Chargaff; Wolfe, p. 186; J. Sydney Jones, pp. 164-65.

  Stalin details: Deutscher, Stalin, p. 210; J. Sydney Jones, p. 249; Delbar, p. 64; I. S. Levin, pp. 96–97.

  Archduke Franz Ferdinand details: Kiszling, pp. 192-93.

  Tito details: Vinterhalter, p. 44; Auty, p. 29; Dedijer, Tito, p. 30.

  Auto Mechanics Ball: IWE, Jan. 25, 1913.

  Freud details: Clark, pp. 352-53.

  Hitler details: J. Sydney Jones, pp. 120, 145, 229, and passim; Maser, pp. 33–36.

  CHAPTER 2 (pages 15–23)

  Duties of Minister of Exterior Affairs: AZ, June 23, 1913.

  Ethnic statistics and details: May, p. 428; A. J. P. Taylor, pp. 221, 263, 265; Kiszling, p. 215; Corti, p. 312; Dedijer, Sarajevo, pp. 70, 75, 110.

  On nationalities' problem: Possony, p. 149.

  Lenin on Stalin: Wolfe, p. 577.

  Troyanovsky details: Smith, pp. 279, 284.

  Trotsky on Stalin encounter: Deutscher, The Prophet Armed, p. 209.

  Stalin letter quote: Smith, p. 276.

  Stalin's treatise on nationalities: Wolfe, p. 581; Smith, pp. 292-94; Hingley, pp. 71–73.

  Stalin's activities in Vienna: Deutscher, Stalin, p. 117.

  CHAPTER 3 (pages 24–40
)

  Schuhmeier assassination: NFP and AZ, Feb. 12, 13, 14, 1913.

  Schonberg concert riot: Spiel, p. 172.

  Student keller fights: AZ, Mar. 26, 1913.

  Attack on Negro: AZ, Apr. 8, 1913.

  Schuhmeier funeral: Barea, p. 344; J. Sydney Jones, p. 251; Johnston, p. 101; AZ, Feb. 17, 1913.

  Housemaids' hours: AZ, July 24, 1913.

  Schuhmeier's Parliament speeches and housing conditions: Barea, pp. 336-37.

  Vanderbilt quote on Austrian aristocrats: Barea, p. 356.

  Theodore Roosevelt quote on same: Tuchman, Proud Tower, p. 327.

  Austrian aristocrats, details: Auersperg, pp. 28, 32, 40–45; Friedlander, Glanz, p. 194; Fritsche, pp. 265, 363-66.

  Princess Metternich sobriquet: Barea, p. 323.

  Franz Ferdinand insanity rumors: Steed, Thirty Years, p. 367; Auersperg, p. 78.

  Franz Ferdinand's courtship and marriage: Brook-Shepherd, pp. 77, 91, 108-10; Kiszling, pp. 39–47.

  Franz Ferdinand and General Conrad: Kiszling, pp.160–200 passim.

  General Conrad's tic: Redlich, p. 197.

  Franz Ferdinand remarks at Duke of Wurtemburg dinner: Kiszling, p. 193.

  Franz Ferdinand letter to Berchtold: Kann, pp. 219-20.

  Franz Ferdinand's emissary's message to General Conrad: Kiszling, pp. 196-97.

  Correspondence between Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Wilhelm: Kann, p. 80; Kiszling, p. 198.

  Emperor Franz Joseph's message to Tsar: Kiszling, pp. 193-94.

  Reduction of Austrian forces at Russian border and Franz Ferdinand's travel south: Kiszling, p. 199.

  CHAPTER 4 (pages 41–53)

  March/April mood and weather in Vienna: IWE and Fremd., April 1913 issues passim.

  Spring suicide statistics and Warmstuben: AZ, Mar. 3, 1913.

  Dante's Inferno film and Vienna weather: AZ, April 1913 issues passim.

  German Consul General's dinner party: Redlich, p. 194.

  May weather and blossoms in Vienna: IWE and NFP, early May issues passim.

  Spring description by Trotsky's wife: Trotsky, p. 230.

  Trotsky quotes on Russia versus the West: Deutscher, Trotsky, pp. 180-93 passim.

  Stalin's arrest: Deutscher, Stalin, p. 122.

  Trotsky and art in Vienna: Deutscher, Trotsky, 184.

  Trotsky and Viennese Socialist cafe intellectuals: Trotsky, My Life, pp. 207-11.

  Trotsky and psychoanalysis: Trotsky, My Life, p. 220.

  Freud-Trotsky analogies: Clark, p. 196; Wolf, p. 254.

  Freud conquistador quote: Clark, p. 212.

  Freud on Adler: Clark, p. 311.

  Freud's patronage of Cafe Landtmann: based on research by Timms and conveyed to this author in interview in 1988, New York.

  Freud's evening habits: Clark, p. 217.

  Freud's self-confessed philistinism: Clark, p. 196.

  Dr. Starr on Freud's morals: Clark, p. 324.

  Freud's comment on Starr's charges: Clark, p. 324.

  Jung on Freud's "triangle": Portable Jung, p. xviii.

  Freud's mushroom hunting: Clark, p. 199; Martin Freud, p. 59.

  Psycho-Analytical Society Spring Outing: Ernest Jones, vol. 2, p. 99.

  CHAPTER 5 (pages 54–62)

  On May Day parade conception at Berggasse 19: Clark, p. 112.

  May Day weather and workers' march: AZ, May 2, 1913.

  May 1 as aristocrats' promenade: Groner, p. 446.

  Upper class fear of May Day march: Barea, pp. 310-11.

  Stefan Zweig on same subject: Barea, p. 312.

  Hitler on May Day: Mein Kampf, pp. 40–43.

  Hitler and prostitutes: J. Sydney Jones, pp. 58–59.

  Hitler's philosophy formed in Vienna: Hitler, p. 30.

  Hitler's departure for Germany: Bullock, p. 47.

  Hitler's last days in Vienna, revisiting old haunts: J. Sydney Jones, p. 243.

  Hitler's draft-dodging: J. Sydney Jones, p. 252.

  Redlich-Krobatin encounter: Redlich, p. 198.

  Montenegro crisis and its end: Redlich, p. 199; May, p. 464; Kiszling, p. 204.

  Montenegro, Franz Ferdinand, and Redl: Asprey, p. 263.

  Franz Ferdinand at Konopiste: Auersperg, p. 87.

  Kaiser's daughter's marriage: Kiszling, p. 204

  Franz Ferdinand's Derby plans: Brook-Shepherd, p. 93; Fritsche, p. 371.

  CHAPTER 6 (pages 63–76)

  May weather: IWE, May 26, 1913.

  Hitler departs Vienna, May 24, 1913: J. Sydney Jones, p. 253.

  Detectives' stakeout: Asprey, p. 237.

  Why the stakeout: Asprey, p. 236.

  Further stakeout background: Asprey, pp. 237-38.

  Colonel Redl details: Asprey, p. 269.

  Stakeout pays off: Asprey, pp. 243-46.

  General Conrad gets Redl news at Grand Hotel: Asprey, pp. 252-53.

  Redl instructed to commit suicide at Hotel Klomser: Asprey, pp. 256-58.

  Redl news as initially presented in Vienna press: Asprey, pp. 262-63.

  Redl fully exposed in press (Kisch story): Asprey, pp. 264-66.

  Redl's decorations and honors: Asprey, pp. 194, 222-23, 150.

  Redl's corruption: Asprey, pp. 263, 272.

  Redl's treason details, information betrayed: INSJ, October 1987, p. 187.

  Repercussions of Redl case: Asprey, pp. 266, 287-90.

  Exclusion of Franz Ferdinand from Imperial wedding in Germany: Kisz- ling, p. 205.

  Franz Ferdinand accuses General Conrad on Redl: Redlich, p. 202; Asprey, p. 280.

  Berlin reaction to Redl: Asprey, p. 286.

  Franz Joseph's reaction to Redl: Corti, p. 394.

  CHAPTER 7 (pages 77–88)

  Background and description of Corpus Christi procession: Auersperg, p. 63; Friedlander, Glanz, pp. 33–38; IWE, May 23, 1913.

  Derby details: Fritsche, pp. 371-73; IWE, June 9, 1913.

  Redl's poor childhood: Asprey, pp. 25–26.

  Redl's brothers change names: Asprey, p. 289.

  Zweig's reaction to Redl: Asprey, p. 267.

  Zeppelin over Vienna: AZ, June 10, 1913.

  Ladies fainting in Berlin: AZ, June 15, 1913.

  Theater fire: AZ, June 18, 1913.

  Film watching causes speech regression: WMW, July 1913.

  Genesis of Second Balkan War: May, p. 465.

  Hot summer and police helmets: AZ, June 5, 1913.

  Postal unemployed: AZ, July 2, 1913.

  Poor in New York heat: AZ, July 5, 1913.

  History of Franz Joseph-Schratt relationship: Haslip, pp. 63, 70.

  Franz Joseph remark on monarchy going under: Corti, p. 431.

  CHAPTER 8 (pages 89-108)

  Franz Ferdinand's efforts to restrain Austria: Kiszling, p. 210.

  Franz Joseph's letter to Schratt: Briefe, p. 392.

  Franz Joseph's military and diplomatic decisions: NFP and AZ, Aug. 1-10, 1913, issues; Kiszling, pp. 211-12.

  Hitler draft-evasion investigation: Fest, p. 61.

  Assassination attempt on Governor of Croatia: Dedijer, Sarajevo, pp. 273-75.

  Aljinovic threatening Franz Ferdinand: Dedijer, Sarajevo, p. 276.

  Franz Ferdinand's letter to Berchtold: Kann, p. 223.

  Franz Ferdinand's sigh about "how" Franz Ferdinand is: Auersperg, p. 89.

  Austria sponsoring Lenin: Lenin, p. 146; Possony, pp. 134-38.

  Bolshevik "summer conference": Possony, pp. 145-46.

  Trotsky and 1905 revolution: Wolfe, pp. 285, 333.

  Trotsky versus Lenin: Wolfe, p. 253.

  Lenin on Trotsky ("absurd, semi-anarchist…"): Wolfe, p. 292.

  Trotsky on Lenin ("master-squabbler…"): Shub, p. 75.

  Trotsky off to cover Balkan war: Deutscher, Trotsky, pp. 205-6.

  Freud off to Marienbad: Jones, vol. 2, p. 99.

  Jones on Freud's structuring of International Psycho-Analytical Association: Clark, p. 296.

  Freud on Jung as his successor: Clark, pp. 296-97.

 
Jung on Freud's libido dogma: Portable Jung, pp. xviii-xix.

  Jung abandoning Freud's libido dogma: Clark, pp. 330-31.

  Jung defies Freud in letter to him: Clark, pp. 328-29.

  Kaiser anniversary: NFP, Jan. 28, 1913.

  Tsar newsreels: AZ, Aug. 19, 1913.

  Rilke on Russian exiles: Leppmann, p. 121.

  Freud's reply to Jung: Clark, p. 329.

  Totem and Taboo as part of Freud's anti-Jung stance: Clark, p. 352.

  Freud's rheumatism: Jones, vol. 2, pp. 99-100.

  Freud in the Dolomites: Jones, vol. 2, pp. 100–101.

  Psycho-Analytical Congress maneuvering: Jones, vol. 2, pp. 148-52; Clark, p. 331.

  Jung to Jones on not voting "Christian": Jones, vol. 2, p. 102.

  Freud's "delicious days" quote: Jones, vol. 2, p. 103.

  Freud's "lonely weeks" quote: Clark, p. 358; Bakan, p. 123.

  Freud's Rome neurosis: Clark, p. 200; Bakan, p. 177.

  Freud's first Rome visit in 1901: Clark, p. 202.

  Freud's Moses identification: Clark, pp. 12, 358, 360.

  Freud as "good hater": Clark, p. 333.

  Dreiser on Freud: Clark, p. 421.

  Freud quotes on Michelangelo's Moses: Bakan, pp. 125-26; Clark, p. 359.

  Freud's "nonanalytic child" quote: Clark, p. 358.

  Freud on Michelangelo and Pope Julius Il: Bakan, p. 127.

  Freud's conciliatory intentions vis-a-vis Jung: Jones, vol. 2, p. 149.

  CHAPTER 9 (pages 109–127)

  Bregenz peace meeting details: AZ, Aug. 5, 1913.

  Vienna's mellow summer scenes: AZ, Aug. 7 and 13, 1913.

  Schuhmeier widow asks lenience for killer: AZ, Sept. 11, 1913.

  Zionist Congress: AZ, Sept. 19, 1913.

  Kafka in Vienna that September: Hayman, p. 168.

  Franz Joseph and Kinetophone in Ischl: Corti, p. 394.

  Franz Joseph appoints Franz Ferdinand Inspector General: Kiszling, p. 261.

  Franz Joseph return to Vienna September 3: AZ, Sept. 4, 1913.

  Fall fashions: IWE, Sept. 29, 1913; AZ, Nov. 30, 1913.