Emperor Charles
THE LAST EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA – THE TRUTH BEYOND THE CLICHÉS
DURING HIS SHORT REIGN BETWEEN 1916 AND 1918, Emperor and King Charles, last reigning monarch of Austria and Hungary, tried everything in his power to end World War I. Finally, he experienced betrayal, defamation, and the demise of his monarchy. He died in exile on Madeira, completely enervated, in 1922. Many of the reproaches against him still live on today. Was he really ill-prepared for his responsible offi ce? Did he order the use of poison gas on the Isonzo frontline? What contribution
did he make towards the reconciliation of the people? Why does Austria still struggle with the last Habsburg on the throne today? And how should the beatifi cation by the Catholic Church be viewed?
Eva Demmerle is a historian and has made a name for herself as a biographer, particularly of the Habsburgs in the 20th century. From 1995 until his death in July 2011, she worked closely with Otto von Habsburg, the oldest son of the last Emperor of Austria. In 2012, she became a freelance publicist and communications counsellor.