Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 52. (2007)
FRIED, Marvin Benjamin: Feldmarschall Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf: A Memoir Analysis
thoughts on the several subjects he addresses. However, by careful analysis as we have seen, the mood and textual facts are striking and, for 1925, foreboding of the years to come. The main theme remained the defense of his person in the search for those responsible for the war. By “negating the existence of a war guilt”10* at the outbreak of the First World War, Conrad removes his responsibility. By then moving on to attack any and all potential enemies of Austria-Hungary and of his person, Conrad uses populist rhetoric to redirect the blame to groups who are either unable to defend their position because his attack is on a group not an individual, or he identifies the traditional, and as we have seen racially-motivated, enemy within or without. Conrad’s defense in these papers rests on myths and racially-motivated beliefs which carry little if any truth. While some observations are poignant, interesting, and theoretically sound, most of his statements represent a bitter and unrealistic historic understanding of the Great War. It is extremely relevant to understand, however, that these types of false beliefs and views were what directly led to the possibility of the rise and appeal of National Socialism, to the Anschluß, and finally to the Second Great War. While often stating the ‘indisputable’ facts that all history was a logical progression which he alone could not stop, he switches sides several times by arguing simultaneously that, while seeing all of the events unfold, particularly militarily, one factor was paramount and is even named by him as “circumstances, luck!”208 209 As has been demonstrated here, Conrad is contradictory both in his general concepts and in the particular facts he presents. He seems to be pulled between two worlds, the old and the new, and finally resolves this quagmire by turning to what historians today would identify as German-style fascism, or National Socialism. It is this National Socialist style of thought that is so frightening and prophetic in his writing, and clearly expresses the view of a vanquished and ‘betrayed’ old guard general of Austria-Hungary in the interwar period. Primary Document Bibliography Conrad von Hötzendorf, Franz. Aus meiner Dienstzeit 1906-1918. [From my military service 1906-1918], Volume IV. Wien-Berlin-Leipzig-Munich: Rikola Verlag, 1921-1925. Conrad von Hötzendorf, Franz. Private Aufzeichnungen: Erste Veröffentlichung aus den Papieren des k.u.k Generalstabschefs [Private Records: First publication from the papers of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff], Edited by Kurt Peball. Wien: Amalthea, 1976. Feldmarschall Franz Conrad von Flötzendorf 208 Conrad von Hötzendorf, Franz: Private Aufzeichnungen, Pg. 172. 209 Ibid, Pg. 120. 245
