Chapter 54 – Conversation at Schönbrunn Palace

Chapter 54 – Conversation at Schönbrunn Palace

At Schönbrunn Palace, seat of the Habsburgs, Ernst had come to seek Franz's assistance.

Truth be told, Emperor Franz was exhausted these days – the aftermath of Austria's defeat in the war, the ongoing negotiations with the Hungarian Magyar nobles… all weighing heavily on him.

Yet he still made time to receive his future nephew-in-law.

"Ernst, how come you have time to visit Austria?" asked Emperor Franz.

"Your Majesty, I've come hoping the Austrian government can support my recruitment efforts here in Austria," Ernst said frankly.

"For something like that, you really didn't need to come see me personally." Franz was puzzled.

After all, thousands of enterprises in Austria recruited workers every day – it was hardly the sort of thing one would bring directly to the emperor.

"Well, Your Majesty, the issue is that I need quite a large number of people. I also hope the Austrian government might endorse the project."

"How many are we talking about?" Franz asked, intrigued – it must be something out of the ordinary if they wanted official backing.

"If possible, tens of thousands… maybe even hundreds of thousands," Ernst replied calmly.

"Ernst, you must be joking! That's enough people to form an army. That many is just absurd!" Franz blurted in disbelief.

Ernst laid out his reasoning: "Your Majesty, you probably know that I have a colony in East Africa. It's doing reasonably well – at least it balances the books. The main obstacle to its development is population. I've had to recruit large numbers of people from Asia, but as you understand, it's much like our German minority in Austria – there simply aren't enough Europeans there. And we both know what that implies!"

"So you want to bring in Austrians to balance out the Asian influx in your colony. But why not recruit from Prussia?" Franz asked, puzzled.

Ernst weighed his words – the honest answer would be "Austrian peasants are easier to hoodwink," but he couldn't say that.

"Actually, Your Majesty," he said, "in recent years, Prussia's massive military has effectively solved its unemployment problems. Very few people there choose to go overseas. As you know, the size of the Prussian army is rather 'excessive,' so it's tough to find civilians for hire."

Franz obviously didn't buy that for a second. Still, he decided to give Ernst a chance. "If you can persuade me, I might support you."

Unhurried, Ernst said, "Your Majesty, may I ask: isn't Austria thoroughly vexed by all these nationalists?"

Franz nodded. "That's a fair statement – especially the Hungarians. They've been pushing the Empire to its limits, creating no end of trouble."

Ernst continued, "In your view, what makes the Hungarian nobles confident enough to negotiate on equal footing with the Austrian government?"

"Naturally, Hungary's sheer size and population," Franz answered. "If it declared independence, Austria would lose its standing in Europe. The Empire cannot afford that."

"Exactly," said Ernst. "But in truth, the entire empire is bedeviled by ethnic nationalism – I suspect it's the handiwork of England and France. Fewer than thirty percent of your population is German."

"Indeed, only around 20% are German," Franz muttered. "Hungarians alone make up 20%. Then there are Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats – all the Slavs, plus a small number of Romanians and Italians."

"And among them, the Hungarians can single-handedly challenge the German faction," Ernst pointed out. "All the more so with Poland, Bohemia, Croatia, etc. In the past, Austria held them in check thanks to its leadership of the German states.

"But now the international scene is increasingly volatile, and Austria cannot project its old authority. Even a 'smaller' power like Italy dares to covet your territory. If they stir up the Empire's Italian population, Trieste and the south could be at serious risk.

"The Poles never stopped dreaming of restoring Poland. If they manage to win Europe's sympathy, it's not just Russia they'll be aiming at. Don't forget: historically, both Austria and Prussia also partitioned Poland. For now, they side with you since life under Russia is worse. But should the Austrian economy falter, they'll blame Vienna in a heartbeat.

"And then there are all the Slavic groups. Russia resents Austria for the Crimean War, and its pan-Slavic influence is well known. The Ottomans can attest to that—look how battered they've been."

Franz frowned and cut him off. "Enough—I follow your point."

He stood, hands clasped behind his back, and gazed at a map of Austria's territories, wearing a troubled expression. "I know perfectly well what ails the Empire."

With a self-deprecating sigh, he carried on, "But politics isn't as simple as you imagine, Ernst. Perhaps your youth gives you courage in the face of adversity, but Austria is old and frail. Even a tiny shift can be catastrophic for us.

"Look at my brother, Maximilian—his example says it all. He was so determined to rule Mexico, yet he's ended up in a terrible predicament. Proud as he is, he won't even ask me for help. I can only wonder how he's faring now."

Turning to Ernst with resolute eyes, Franz said, "Austria was once Europe's mighty hegemon. Though we now face unimaginable difficulties and I lack the skill to resolve them all, I can still help this great state carry on.

"When I'm gone, it will be up to younger men like you—and Austria's future generations—to restore Austria's grandeur."

He pivoted away. "Yes, Austria is shaken by these nationalists. But we're looking to fix that. The pressure on us is more than people can fathom. Provincial aristocrats hold more local power than the central government, and our finances are a mess, making reforms nearly impossible."

Ernst knew all this. Austria truly was facing a formidable crisis. Franz, as emperor, could hardly push radical reforms that might jeopardize Habsburg rule.

"What's your plan?" Franz asked.

Ernst outlined his intent. "Your Majesty, we could ease the tension in small, practical ways. For example, my hiring campaign to move unemployed Austrian farmers to East Africa. Many have migrated to Vienna, but the city can't absorb them all. They become fodder for radicals—people with nothing to lose."

Franz sighed, "All right, I see what you want."

"You can hire from Austria," he said, "as many as you can handle. But remember: leave our German-speakers alone—if you can take as many of the other nationalities as possible, we won't just be fine with it, we'll support you."

And so, the two men reached an unspoken agreement:

Austria quietly facilitated Ernst's recruitment of minority nationalities.Ernst gained a white labor force for Africa.

Everyone ended up a winner…

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