1895 visit of Emperor Franz Joseph to Zagreb
Encyclopedia
The 1895 visit of Emperor Franz Joseph to Zagreb
was the Austro-Hungarian
leader's visit to the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
's capital in mid-October, 1895 to attend the opening of the Croatian National Theatre. A group of Croatian students used the visit to protest the rule of the Hungarian Károly Khuen-Héderváry
as Croatian ban.
The emperor arrived in Zagreb by train on October 14, 1895. Upon his arrival a group of students chanted Slava Jelačiću ("Glory to Jelačić"), in reference to the former Croatian ban Josip Jelačić
who had risen up against the Hungarians in the Revolutions of 1848
. That day the emperor attended the unveiling ceremonial completion of the Croatian National Theatre. Music by Ivan Zajc
was subsequently performed inside the theatre.
On October 15, the emperor attended an honorary dance at the Kolo building. On this day a group of students led by Stjepan Radić
planned a burning of the Hungarian tricolour.
On October 16, the final day of the imperial visit, the students marched to Ban Jelačić Square
where they chanted Živio hrvatski kralj Franjo Josip I, Slava Jalačiću and Abzug Magjari. They doused the Hungarian tricolour in brandy and set it on fire. They then marched towards the University. The city police soon informed ban Khuen-Héderváry of the act and the students were arrested.
was sentence to six months in jail, Gjuro Balaško to five, and Milan Dorwald, Osman Hadžić, Vladimir Vidrić
, Josip Šikutrić, Vladimir Frank and Ivan Fran to four months. The students were all barred from the University of Zagreb
while Stjepan Radić was barred from all universities in the empire. This led him to continue his studies abroad in Paris
. The other students went to the Charles University in Prague
and the University of Vienna
.
These students would form the basis of the Croatian Moderna. In 1897, the Prague
group of students began publishing Hrvatska misao, while in 1898 the Vienna
students began publishing Mladost.
The flag burning also resulted in a split between the Croatian Party of Rights and the Croatian Pure Party of Rights who disagreed on the flag-burning.
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
was the Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
leader's visit to the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia or Croatia Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was part of the Hungarian Kingdom within the dual Austro-Hungarian state, being within the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen or Transleithania...
's capital in mid-October, 1895 to attend the opening of the Croatian National Theatre. A group of Croatian students used the visit to protest the rule of the Hungarian Károly Khuen-Héderváry
Károly Khuen-Héderváry
Dragutin Károly Khuen-Héderváry, also known as Károly Count Khuen-Héderváry de Hédervár , was a Hungarian politician, the ban of Croatia in the late nineteenth century. He succeeded the temporary reign of Ban Hermann Ramberg in 1883. Khuen's reign was marked by a strong magyarization...
as Croatian ban.
The emperor arrived in Zagreb by train on October 14, 1895. Upon his arrival a group of students chanted Slava Jelačiću ("Glory to Jelačić"), in reference to the former Croatian ban Josip Jelačić
Josip Jelacic
Count Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
who had risen up against the Hungarians in the Revolutions of 1848
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
. That day the emperor attended the unveiling ceremonial completion of the Croatian National Theatre. Music by Ivan Zajc
Ivan Zajc
Ivan Dragutin Stjepan Zajc or Ivan pl. Zajc , was a Croatian composer, conductor, director and teacher who for over forty years dominated Croatia's musical culture...
was subsequently performed inside the theatre.
On October 15, the emperor attended an honorary dance at the Kolo building. On this day a group of students led by Stjepan Radić
Stjepan Radic
Stjepan Radić was a Croatian politician and the founder of the Croatian Peasant Party in 1905. Radić is credited with galvanizing the peasantry of Croatia into a viable political force...
planned a burning of the Hungarian tricolour.
On October 16, the final day of the imperial visit, the students marched to Ban Jelačić Square
Ban Jelacic Square
Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, named after ban Josip Jelačić. The official name is Trg bana Jelačića...
where they chanted Živio hrvatski kralj Franjo Josip I, Slava Jalačiću and Abzug Magjari. They doused the Hungarian tricolour in brandy and set it on fire. They then marched towards the University. The city police soon informed ban Khuen-Héderváry of the act and the students were arrested.
Aftermath
The students were subsequently charged for the incident. Stjepan RadićStjepan Radic
Stjepan Radić was a Croatian politician and the founder of the Croatian Peasant Party in 1905. Radić is credited with galvanizing the peasantry of Croatia into a viable political force...
was sentence to six months in jail, Gjuro Balaško to five, and Milan Dorwald, Osman Hadžić, Vladimir Vidrić
Vladimir Vidric
Vladimir Vidrić was a Croatian poet. He is considered one of the major figures of the Croatian secessionist poetry.-Life:...
, Josip Šikutrić, Vladimir Frank and Ivan Fran to four months. The students were all barred from the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
while Stjepan Radić was barred from all universities in the empire. This led him to continue his studies abroad in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The other students went to the Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
and the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
.
These students would form the basis of the Croatian Moderna. In 1897, the Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
group of students began publishing Hrvatska misao, while in 1898 the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
students began publishing Mladost.
The flag burning also resulted in a split between the Croatian Party of Rights and the Croatian Pure Party of Rights who disagreed on the flag-burning.