September 1919
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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: September 1919 Author: Mrs RedbootsLocation: London, UK PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:29 pm
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September 1919.

Kurt von Eschenau stood at his study window, gazing unseeingly over the streets of Vienna. So. It was final. Austria, the Austria he had dedicated his life to serving, was to be no more. All that was left was something the shape, and perhaps very much the size, of a dragonfly.

When had the rot set in? Was it when the old Emperor had died, in 1916? Or was it long before that, when the heir, Prince Rudolf had committed suicide? Or when the assassin's knife had put paid to the Empress? Or the bullet to the nephew, Franz Ferdinand, in 1914, and sparked off the entire four years of war for which Austria, now, was paying such a terrible price? And he, Kurt, still bore a scar on his leg from the bullet that had so nearly taken his life, and still frequently had nightmares from the horrors of that conflict. And all for what?

Austria-Hungary had been defeated. The empire, that at its height had stretched from the Adriatic, almost to the Black Sea, almost to the Baltic, had been dismembered. It had been split into so many different countries - could any of them survive? They had hoped, last year, to have salvaged something from the wreckage, and, as German Austria, to have kept the German-speaking states with them, maybe even a confederation of states.

But that was not to be. The provisions of the Treaty of Saint-Germain were so harsh. Many of the provinces that should have been Austrian had been stripped away. Austria was now land-locked, as was Hungary; the navy had been disbanded. And both countries were Republics! Not to have an Emperor to serve!

The Emperor had fled to Switzerland. Many had already joined him. Kurt would have gone, with his family, but his father had been so ill. And now he was dead. Died, perhaps, of a broken heart.

Kurt envied his father, who no longer had to live in an Austria that was just a pathetic remnant. Or in exile in Switzerland. What was he to do now he was free to choose? Could he remain with the army? It was now limited to 30,000 volunteers. Should he flee to Switzerland and join his Emperor?

It was a question of loyalties, really, Kurt thought. Was his loyalty to the Emperor, or to Austria? Had the Emperor still been Franz Josef, there would have been no question - but the old man had been in his grave these past three years, and was probably turning in it to see what had become of his beloved Empire and Kingdom. But Karl? Perhaps not.

At least Vienna had been left alone. But how long could an Imperial capital survive with no Empire to rule and crippling damages to pay? How long could he, Kurt, go on with no reason?

The sound of children's laughter echoed suddenly through the street. Kurt, looking down, saw his children coming home from their morning walk, accompanied by their nursemaid. Young Kurt and Wanda, now six and four, were laughing together at some childish joke or other, while the year-old Marie sat up in her perambulator and waved her chubby fists. And Kurt thought of the news that his wife had confided to him just that morning - that, in the spring, there would probably be another addition to the family.

Life had to go on. Kurt made a mental note to speak to the nursemaid about allowing the children to make a noise in the street. But he was glad they had, this once. They reminded him that he had to go on, had to stick it out, had to live it down.

Perhaps he would buy a villa in Tirol, or that remnant of it that was still Austrian. Even if they didn't live there year-round, it would make a good summer home for Ileana and the children, and if he could be with them, so much the better.

Yes, the Tirol. What was the name of that lake he had spent that happy summer with, years ago? The Tiernsee, that was it! Yes, he would buy a villa on the shores of the Tiernsee, a summer home, and perhaps, too, a winter refuge.

#2:  Author: Liz KLocation: Bedfordshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:40 pm
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Oooohhhhh nice one to hear more of the Van Eschenaus BEFORE the CS.

Thank you Mrs Redboots.


Last edited by Liz K on Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

#3:  Author: RosalinLocation: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:50 pm
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Thanks Annabel

Interesting glimpse into the mind of an Austrian at that time.

#4:  Author: La Petite EmLocation: Cheltenham PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:07 pm
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I agree. It is hard to know what starts the downward spiral of anything!
Thank-you Very Happy

#5:  Author: leahbelleLocation: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:09 pm
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Thank you Very Happy .

#6:  Author: MaryRLocation: Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:29 pm
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A lovely in-fill of how the von Eschenaus came to be by the Tiernsee. Such a strong and sturdy family.

Thanks, Mrs Redboots

#7:  Author: Elder in OntarioLocation: Ontario, Canada PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:35 pm
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A lovely 'earlier generation' background to a strong Austrian family and how they came to Tirol. Close to 90 years later, it's hard for us to picture just how much both Austria and Hungary lost as a result of World War I. This story does much to remind us.

Thank you, Mrs. Redboots.

#8:  Author: SugarLocation: second star to the right! PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:27 pm
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Interesting background. Very evocative

#9:  Author: RobLocation: Currently in a rainstorm PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:38 pm
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Very interesting, nice to see Kurt von Eschenau Snr in a drabble!

Thank you Mrs Redboots!

#10:  Author: LesleyLocation: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:23 pm
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Really interesting to read that - Austria, like Germany, was treated appallingly after the First World War - a war that ended in an armistice - not defeat.


Thanks Mrs Redboots.

#11:  Author: VickLocation: Leeds, Yorkshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:40 pm
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Lovely, thank you Mrs Redboots.

#12:  Author: Cath V-PLocation: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:51 am
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Thank you for that - one tends to forget that 'School' was written so soon after the end of WW1, and that that must been much more obvious then.

#13:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:53 am
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Thank you, Mrs R. I'd never even though to ask what he and the other Austrian parents must have gone through, or why they ended up at the Tiernsee. I think I assumed they were local, though that can't entirely have been the case.

#14:  Author: SalLocation: Walsall / Aberystwyth PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:07 am
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Very thought provoking.

Thank you Mrs Redboots

#15:  Author: lindaLocation: Leeds PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:18 pm
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Lovely prequel to the CS. How difficult it must have been for the Von Eschenau's in the aftermath of WW1

Thank you Mrs Redboots Smile

#16:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:25 am
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Thank you, Mrs. Redboots.

#17:  Author: Laura VLocation: Czech Republic PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:07 pm
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a very interesting history lesson! thanks! Very Happy

#18:  Author: Carolyn PLocation: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:56 pm
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Thank you, I really liked that.

#19:  Author: Ruth BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:02 pm
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Thank you, that was lovely.

#20:  Author: brieLocation: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:57 pm
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Thank you, that was really good.

#21:  Author: Fiona McLocation: Bendigo, Australia PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 11:07 am
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Thank you that was lovely. Can see how Wanda and Gisela could have met and been close friends before School

#22:  Author: Alison HLocation: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 1:09 am
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Glad you decided to write this Very Happy .



The CBB -> Ste Therese's House


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