Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 36. (1983)
COONS, Ronald E.: Reflections of a Josephinist. Two Addenda to count Franz Hartig's „Genesis der Revolution in Österreich im Jahre 1848”
220 Ronald E. Coons brother to ascend the throne in 183 5 58). By the mid-1840s, however, her resentment was directed not simply against Metternich but against a group of high officials in Vienna who hoped to move the monarchy away from the cabinet style of government practiced by Emperor Franz and favored by Franz Karl and his wife in the direction of an orderly form of ministerial government59). Yet early in March 1848, immediately following receipt of the news of the collapse of the July Monarchy, Metternich no longer seemed a threat to the imperial family but rather represented its last line of defense against principles infinitely more dangerous to its interests than those of ministerial government. On the one hand, the campaign conducted by Metternich and his allies in favor of major administrative reforms had suffered a series of ignominious defeats and stood little chance of success without the unlikely cooperation of the dynasty. On the other hand, under the initial impact of the shock of revolution in Paris there was every reason for Sophie to wish to retain the statesman who had steered the monarchy safely through so many international storms in the past and to look to him for support against those who wished to establish constitutional limits to monarchical power. As Egon Corti has shown, it was only when Metternich’s position had become demonstrably untenable that Sophie reluctantly decided he would have to be sacrificed 60). In writing in her diary for the first time after the outbreak of revolution, she gave some indication of how painful that decision must have been: „Lundi 13 — Mardi 14 — et Mercredi 15 — joumées affreuses — désastreuses qui m’ont laissé une douleur dans le coeur — un souvenir déchirant qui ne s’en effacerait jamais et une honte pour mon eher Vienne devenu le théátre d’une révolution systematiquement organisée qui est accablante et si humiliante; le 15 une constitution fut donnáé par l’Empereur — la veille déjá on avait accordé l’armement général des bourgeois et hálás la liberté de la presse et Lundi soir notre bon vieux Metternich donna sa démission et on accorda l’armement des étudiants qui au reste font maintenir leurs devoirs et remettent l’ordre dans quelques faubourgs oü les proletaires ont pillé, damagé et brulé les petites mai- sons de la douane prés des barriéres“ 61). A few days later Archduke Franz Joseph gave more direct evidence of sorrow at Metternich’s fall. On March 19, following a private conversation with the future monarch, Columbus noted in his diary: „Er sprach sich sehr konservativ aus, sehr belobend über Metternich; es sei ihm unanä8) See the suppressed passages from the diary of Princess Melanie Metternich published in Schiitter Aus Österreichs Vormärz 4 118—122. 59) Metternich’s goals are discussed in Radvany Metternich’s Projects for Reform 129—134. 80) Corti Vom Kind zum Kaiser 258—262. 61) HHStA Nachlaß Erzherzogin Sophie Tagebuch. I am indebted to Dr. Otto Habsburg for his permission to consult the archduchess’ diary. The transcription of the passage quoted here differs slightly from that provided in Reinöhi Aus dem Tagebuch der Erzherzogin Sophie 117.
