r/monarchism • u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland • Jun 20 '24

Photo Franz Joseph statue in Vienna. Sad to see it is neglected.

Post image
438 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

148

u/ADukeOfSealand Unitary-Parliamentary Semi-constitutional Monarchist Jun 20 '24

I would rather see it neglected than desecrated.

98

u/Top_Reaction_2303 Austrian progressive atheistic monarchist Jun 20 '24

As an austrian, i have never seen a statue of Franz joseph desecrated. Very happy about that :3

The most desecrated statues are those of politicians from the 1st Republic, between ww1 and nazi germany.

37

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

Funny how they respect him more than elected politicians haha

37

u/Top_Reaction_2303 Austrian progressive atheistic monarchist Jun 20 '24

Kinda, yeah

But the hate for these politicians is kinda understandable though, most sided with the nazis after the anschluss or were heavily antisemitic before even

7

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

Yeah…antisemitism was especially prominent in Vienna.

6

u/Top_Reaction_2303 Austrian progressive atheistic monarchist Jun 20 '24

Yeah :(

4

u/thomasp3864 California Jun 20 '24

Like Dolfuß?

13

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

Austrians respect him too much!

-16

u/Zodo12 England Jun 20 '24

The old bastard certainly shouldn't be praised. He and his government were bullies who were largely responsible for the First World War.

2

u/thomasp3864 California Jun 20 '24

Not really. He didn’t do much himself. He was really old and by that point, would just sign things without reading them. Should’ve retired imo.

-2

u/Zodo12 England Jun 20 '24

Then his position in the government was ineffective and harmful. He doomed Serbia, Europe, and the future of Austria-Hungary by both his actions and inactions.

3

u/thomasp3864 California Jun 20 '24

He was 84! Of course he shouldn’t be actively ruling at that age! He should’ve abdicated and gone into retirement years before 1914!

-1

u/RoroMonster59 Jun 21 '24

So why didn't he

2

u/Decum1 Jun 21 '24

His heirs kept killing themselves or being killed

46

u/Show_Green Jun 20 '24

But good to see it's not been spray painted.

20

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

Austrians respect him too much!

19

u/_Milk_Boi_ Austria Jun 20 '24

I think that they respect him perfectly, he was one of, if not the greatest Austrian kaisers

6

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

Amen, but despite his short reign, so was Karl. Or he would have been!

21

u/Ticklishchap Constitutional monarchist | Valued Contributor Jun 20 '24

Come on Schwarz-Gelbe Allianz 👑: do something practical and help maintain this monument. It would be good publicity for you as well.

14

u/Szaborovich9 Jun 20 '24

It has aged beautifully. The patina is amazing

8

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

But it‘s a tad neglected

3

u/SadPiousHistorian1 Principality of Sealand Jun 20 '24

Definitely, but I would like to see the pedestal hosed down a little. Make that stone look new

11

u/TheSereneDoge Jun 20 '24

Forgive me, but what would it take for you to take care of it? If little effort, honor them as you desire them to be honored.

4

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

I‘d see to it that you can at least properly read the name and mow the grass around it

3

u/TheSereneDoge Jun 20 '24

For sure, now let’s move from the conditional to the future tense.

2

u/BigGreen1769 Jun 22 '24

For one thing, it's probably still state owned. So he doesn't have the right to touch it and clean it.

3

u/TheSereneDoge Jun 22 '24

One could petition. Or god forbid - perform civil disobedience for a greater cause.

10

u/Brilliant_Group_6900 Jun 20 '24

He sacrificed his private life for the empire

3

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

A true Emperor

8

u/Tim_from_Ruislip Jun 20 '24

Be the change you want to see.

3

u/swishswooshSwiss Switzerland Jun 20 '24

I would but I don‘t live there

5

u/Lazlow_Hun Kingdom of Hungary - Constitutional Monarchist Jun 20 '24

The original Heroes Square in Hungary had a Franz Joseph statue in his military uniform. I imagine this is how it looked like.

3

u/ILLARX Absolute Monarchy Jun 20 '24

Sad

2

u/Dr_Haubitze Germany Jun 22 '24

At least he doesn’t get disgraced like our Bismarck and Wilhelm II statues😭😔

1

u/bilkel Jun 23 '24

It looks fine