Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn

102 years ago today, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn was born.


Update: Also: The Mad Monarchist

Trianon in Effect

90 years ago today, the Treaty of Trianon came into effect.

Telegrams of Nicholas and Wilhelm

Three years short of a century ago today, Wilhelm II and Nicholas II started a four day exchange of telegrams.

War Against Serbia

97 years ago today. In the Kaiservilla, Austria-Hungary declares war on the Kingdom of Serbia.

Thomas Molnar

90 years ago today, Thomas Molnar was born.

He passed away last year – six days short of his 89^th birthday.

Mr. Andrew Cusack paid tribute last year.

Royal Palace: Half Staff

The Royal Palace is flying the state flag on half staff today, after yesterday's horrendous and most tragic events:








His Majesty the King's Guard can be found in front of the palace on a normal day in their known parade uniforms. No parade uniforms today. His Majesty the King's Guard in field uniforms, which is a sign of a state of war:




His Majesty gave a speech just an hour ago.

May those whose lives tragically were cut short rest in peace!

And my condolences to the families and near friends of the victims.

The July Ultimatum

Three years short of a century ago today, the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued its ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia.

Mansion House at 100

A century ago today, David Lloyd George delivered his Mansion House Speech.

Imperial Vienna

HIRH the Archduke Otto was indeed brought to his grave as Emperor – if not in name. There were a few things in Vienna on Saturday that gave away that the Empire had not returned for real, but in the whole picture they were details.

Announcements that public transport stations were closed avoided the “dangerous” word von and titles – as did the Austrian TV reporters, with one or a few exceptions, as they dared say that he in Germany was called Otto von Habsburg. A man they call President was in attendance. The archbishop made reservations before the Kaiserhymne. Flags were not flown at half staff – not even in the morning the same day, at least not as I could see. These were amongst the details.

It was a beautiful day. There was what the Viennese call Kaiserwetter – weather fit for an Emperor.

After the doors closed at the Capuchin Church and the formal public ceremony was over, guns were fired. We sang the Kaiserhymne once more. Yours truly sang In Verbannung – the verse to Otto. Someone proclaimed that the Emperor is dead. It was crowded.

On my way to a memorial meet that evening I passed an anti-monarchist demonstration. It is a good sign when anti-monarchists feel the need to do a rally in what declares itself to be a republic.

We could see all the Imperial glory. Austria has a lot of nostalgia for the monarchy. It does not necessarily translate into support for restoration, but it is an important first step.

In the following we can see the singing of the Kaiserhymne in St. Stephen's Cathedral. It was also sung outdoors on St. Stephen's Square, in which yours truly took proudly part. And then the knocking ceremony.

Elsewhere:

• Tea at Trianon
• Royal World
• The Royal Forums
• Le Fleur de Lys too
• No Republic!
• Trond Norén Isaksen (also here, here, and here)
• Mises Economics Blog
• The LRC Blog (also here and here (yours truly))
• The Irish Times

And then there is my report from the eve.

French Military Parades

After getting back home from Vienna yesterday, I heard some news about the French election for the post they call President.

There is a Norwegian-French candidate, Eva Joly. She reportedly made a statement against the Bastille Day military parade, saying celebrations should be more civilian, arousing harsh French reactions.

Both Mrs. Joly and her critics are partly right.

There should not be military parades on Bastille Day. In fact, there should not be celebrations at all on Bastille Day – at least not republican ones. The fleurs-de-lis should be flown.

Her critics are right in that the military parade should go on – as a celebration well symbolizing the raw power of the system that replaced the Bourbon monarchy.

Christopher Bruun

A decade short of a century ago today, Christopher Bruun passed from this world.

He had a pamphlet against the union dissolution in 1905 published abroad that same year. In the pamphlet he spoke up against the concept that the majority is in the right.

Remember Yekaterinburg!

Remember Yekaterinburg!

93 years ago today.

The Last Journey

Tea at Trianon has a post on the Imperial funeral and connected activites, including some reference to negative republican reactions.

Kaiserstadt Wien on the Eve...

Yours truly stood in line for about fifty minutes before he could even get into the Capuchin Church in Vienna today. This was my first attendance at a lying-in-state since 1991, when I attended the lying-in-state of my own late King.




The waiting public could watch a film about the late Archduke when standing in line. The documentary actually showed the phrase “Otto von Habsburg” – despite the childish ban against the three letter word. The main language of the documentary was German.




Many paid their respects.




Someone claimed there was to be a 13 day period of national mourning in Austria. Yours truly finds no evidence of such. To the extent that flags were flown, they were flown from the most official of places, and it was all at full staff.




Except for the long line and the large screen outside the Capuchin Church, to some extent, the city was full of signs that the era whose survivor will be brought to his grave tomorrow ended a long time ago. Exceptions again are architecture and tourist horse carriages.




It seems Vienna is quite capable of refurbishing old architecture. How about restoring som substance of the old?

Meanwhile, the Imperial funeral goes ahead here in Vienna. Apparently, the Honourable Artillery Company will contribute to tomorrow's ceremony, as this German article states, of which two independent sources have informed me. It seems as the Honourable Artillery Company contributed in 1919 to the Emperor leaving as Emperor, even though he could not act as Emperor, the Honourable Artillery Company will contribute to the Archduke Otto leaving this world as Emperor, even though he sadly never was allowed to act as Emperor.

On a related note, over at Taki's Magazine, Mr. Charles Coulombe pays tribute. Also, Roman Christendom has paid tribute.

Vive le Roi!

Archduke Assassination Investigation Concluded

97 years ago today, Austria-Hungary concluded the investigation of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

More on Archduke Otto

Over at Scotland on Sunday, Gerald Warner.

And Trond Norén Isaksen.

King Gyanendra Celebrated

King Gyanendra's birthday was celebrated last Thursday. So Qatar's Gulf Times reports.


H/T: the host of Radical Royalist

Lt.-Col. Strutt

As we three days ago saw the sad event of the passing of the Archduke Otto, and HIRH Archduke Felix remains as the last surviving of the eight issues of Emperor-King Charles of Austria-Hungary and Empress-Queen Zita, we mark 63 years since the passing of this weblog's icon, or mascot if you will, Lt.-Col. Strutt, of whom the late Archduke Otto had a fond memory.

Lt.-Col. Strutt gave a few helping hands to the Habsburg family.

Please feel free to browse posts on this great officer.

Happy Birthday, King Gyanendra!

His Majesty King Gyandendra of Nepal is eight squared years old today.

Happy Birthday!

The Passing of an Archduke

Elsewhere in the blogosphere on Archduke Otto's passing:

• Tea at Trianon
• Radical Royalist
• Royal World
• The Mad Monarchist: short tribute, a video, a long tribute with a video, and a favorite image
• The Western Confucian: tribute, on Habsburg funerals, and a citation
• The LAWW Review
• Le Fleur de Lys too
• Reflections of a Young Fogey
• The Rambling Royalist
• Trond Norén Isaksen
• Dag Trygsland Hoelseth, who also has a 1912 bulletin
• The LRC Blog: Mr. Rockwell and Mr. McAdams
• Mises Economics Blog

Byles and Coulombe

A post of mine over at The Monarchist, on Mather Byles and Charles Coulombe.

SKuKH Erzherzog Otto, RIP

Today we receive the sad news that His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto, Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, passed away this morning.

His Imperial and Royal Highness was in his 99^th year, 505 days short of his centennial, born shortly before the outbreak of the Great War.

He will receive an Imperial burial in Vienna on July 16.

Associated Press has more.

Seiner Kaiserliche und Königliche Hoheit Erzherzog Franz Joseph Otto Robert Maria Anton Karl Max Heinrich Sixtus Xavier Felix Renatus Ludwig Gaetan Pius Ignatius, requiescat in pace.


Your humble blogger received this sad news via the host of Radical Royalist.

Fourth of July

Eleven score and fifteen years ago today, the United States Declaration of Independence was issued.

Poll Results: What Is the Most Important Point of a Monarchy?

The results for the poll, asking what the most important point of a monarchy is, ending at midnight between June and July, are as follows:

Total votes: 56.

• Being a considerable check on popular power: 16 (28%)
• Denying considerable power to elected politicos: 14 (25%)
• Uniting the people: 12 (21%)
• Denying a few important reserve powers to elected politicos: 5 (8%)
• Denying power at all to elected politicos: 5 (8%)
• There is no point: 3 (5%)
• To bash royals as if they came to your house and kicked your dog every night: 1 (1%)
• Pomp and circumstance, like royal weddings: 0 (0%)
• For it to be there so republicans can claim the superiority of a perfect theoretical republic: 0 (0%)

A new poll will be up shortly.

An Act of Rebellion

235 years ago today, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence.

Amendment XXVI at 40

Four decades ago today, the 26^th amendment to the federal Constitution of those United States was ratified.

John Stossel gives some perspective on the issue (from last year's election):