Good Will – Misfortune

EXHIBITION OPENING AND DISCUSSION

Good Will – Misfortune

The Life and Work of Emperor and King Charles

Charles of Habsburg-Lorraine,  successor to Franz Joseph I, ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire for merely two years (1916–1918). He could not have ascended the imperial throne at a more challenging time: after a series of fateful turn of events, amid a crisis of ideologies and a world war, at a time of nationalist fervor and social upheaval, he had to “remain human in inhumanity” and accept what he believed to be his God-given responsibility for the welfare of his people. Faced with both bitter hatred directed at his person and intentions, and waves of supportive, loyal devotion, Charles strove to preserve his Christian morality and his unshakeable faith in God.

His supporters respected him for his Christian virtues, which he also sought to impart to his children: not only his unshakeable faith in God, but also his sense of duty and his determination to serve the common good. His firstborn son, Otto was deeply influenced by his father’s values and his vision of a better future. Paradoxically, however, Charles was only able to pass these values on to his children after he had lost his throne, and his ideas were hardly realised during his lifetime.

The assessment of Charles’s work has changed considerably in the more than 100 years since his death, and even today it is not free of contradictions. Nevertheless, His beatification has made him a beacon in the eyes of his admirers, illustrating the importance of eternal values for humanity.

H.E. Edit Szilágyiné Bátorfi, Ambassador of Hungary to the Republic of Austria, will give a welcome speech.

Lectures:

Iván Bertényi, Deputy Director, Collegium Hungaricum Wien

Charles as King of Hungary

Gregor Antoličič, Lecturer, Research Associate, Milko Kos Institute for History, ZRC SAZU

Emperor Charles and the Isonzo Front

Róbert Fiziker, Director, Hungarian National Archives, Sopron Branch

Emperor Charles’ Attempts to Return from the Austrian perspective

Andrej Rahten, University Professor, Milko Kos Institute of History ZRC SAZU/University of Maribor

Emperor Charles’ Attempts at Restoration from the Slovenian perspective

Vince Paál, fellow, National Authority for Media and Communications (NMHH)

Politicians of the Legitimist Movement

David Schriffl, Head of the Historical Department at the BMEIA

The subsequent panel discussion will be moderated by Gergely Prőhle, Director of the Otto von Habsburg Foundation.

Musical programme:

Serbian folk song – Ederlezi

Roma anthem – Djelem, Djelem

Hungarian folk song (Kodaly collection) – A csitari hegyek alatt

Piano solo – arrangements by Istvan Bertok

Dorota Tothova – vocals

Istvan Bertok – piano

Igor Bachman Bihary – double bass