Der Erste Weltkrieg

After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, it became clear that there would be war. Emperor Franz Joseph wanted it, and in Vienna, people were indeed anticipating the possibility of a major conflict. The way the war was unleashed and how just weeks later Austria-Hungary was not forced to surrender only because it repeatedly received German military assistance has lost none of its drama to this day. Two months before his death, the Austrian emperor renounced part of his sovereignty and agreed to a joint supreme command under the leadership of the German emperor. His successor, Emperor Karl, could never reverse this decision. A portion of the peoples of Austria-Hungary also feared German dominance. Ultimately, even military successes in 1917 could not prevent the disintegration of the Habsburg monarchy. The book is based on decades of research and remains captivating until the last page, even though the ending is known. Many connections only become clear now. Rauchensteiner views World War I as a turning point in history. Whether it was the original catastrophe of the 20th century is for the reader to decide.