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REVOLUTION IN VIENNA

22 March 1848

This morning (March 13), on going out about half-past 10 o’clock, I found the town in a state of great excitement, great numbers of people in the streets, and an evident impression abroad that something extraordinary was about to happen. All, however, seemed tolerably peaceable; the people were mostly of the better classes, and no one armed. Going into the Burg Platz, a square surrounded by the buildings belonging to the palace, I saw a company of soldiers drawing up, and a number of persons, apparently attracted chiefly by curiosity. In the Ball Platz adjoining, close to the official residence of Prince Metternich, there were at that time no soldiers, and only a few persons passing and repassing. Thence all was quiet as far as the English Embassy, in the Hintere Schenken Strasse. Going thence into the Herrn Gasse, in which the Landhaus is situated, in which the States of Lower Austria (the mockery of a Parliament) hold their sittings, I found it occupied by a very dense crowd, but for the most part orderly, and evidently consisting of rather the better class. It was understood that a deputation of the States was about to proceed to the Emperor; to inform him of the excitement which prevailed and the necessity for doing something to quiet the general agitation. About half past 11 o’clock I returned home; and then took a walk on the ramparts, when I not only saw a number of ladies and children, but even met the Emperor himself, with a single attendant, evidently showing that no very serious disturbance was at that time apprehended. Passing again through the Burg Platz, about 1 o’clock, I found the crowd considerably increased, and soon afterwards the place was completely cleared by the military. In the Herrn Gasse, and the Michaeli Platz adjoining, there was now an immense concourse of people. I was told that they were waiting for the answer to the deputation, which was promised in an hour’s time, but had not yet arrived. About 2 o’clock, going to the Landhaus from the Minoriten Platz, I found the building in complete possession of the populace, who had broken in with cries of “Press Freiheit!” “Keine Polizei!” “Pereat Metternich!” (“Freedom of the Press!” “No Police!” “Down with Metternich!”) It is said, that during the sitting of the States some few persons had been admitted, and the door then locked, on which they shouted to the mob from the windows that they were made prisoners. On making their way in they completely destroyed all the furniture and every article on which they could lay their hands. I made my way into the court, when I was told that a Jew had just been addressing the crowd from a boarding over the pump. I did not hear the purport of his speech, but it seemed to have given great satisfaction. The cries became now almost deafening. At this time there was no military on the spot, but about half-past 2 o’clock, or a little sooner, a company was brought up, and cleared the portion of the street abutting on the Landhaus. Being pretty well tired out I went to a reading-room, at the opposite end of the town, and stayed there half an hour. On my leaving it, I was told that the soldiers had just fired on the people, and that several were killed – report said six or eight (amongst the number two students).

Despite the restoration of the monarchy in France, the radical hopes unleashed by the Revolution, and the liberal ideas developed during the Age of Enlightenment, led to increased tension in much of Europe, still dominated by conservative rulers.

When violent protests broke out in Paris in 1848, Vienna soon followed suit. For 40 years, Austria’s leading statesman, Prince Metternich, had kept intact its empire – which stretched from Milan in Italy to Lviv in the Ukraine – by combining astute diplomacy abroad with repressive measures at home. Students were a particular target, with university fraternities being prohibited.

The scale of the demonstrations in March, stoked further by the force used against them, brought about Metternich’s resignation. For a time, he went into exile in England, living by the Thames at Richmond. Under a new Emperor, the young Franz Joseph, the Habsburgs reasserted control and Metternich was able to return. Yet he never regained his standing and his death a decade later went largely unreported by foreign newspapers.