Chapter 37: Chapter 37 – Mass Exodus

Before the negotiation between the nobles and capitalists could be concluded, the news that the City Defense Force had begun to suppress the rebellion reached Hofburg Palace. As a result, the negotiation immediately came to an impasse as the dynamic between the two sides changed.

The initiative of the negotiation was transferred to the nobles who were no longer in a hurry to reach an agreement. The demands put forward by the capitalists had irked the senior nobles who felt that it was an attempt to humiliate the nobility. The most fearful thing was that many nobles were starting to show a willingness to accept at least some of the demands. If the City Defense Force had not returned in time, the nobility might have acquiesced and submitted to humiliation for the sake of survival.

Now that the City Defense Force had returned, however, the situation was very different. Soon, they would be able to unite with the force left to garrison Vienna and suppress the rebellion. In addition, the Palace Guard which consisted of a regiment of troops was still guarding Hofburg Palace. Since their lives were no longer in danger, the nobles, especially Archduke Louis, the most senior noble in Vienna, would never compromise with the capitalists.

Even if the nobles understood that political reform had become a necessity, it was important that they be the ones who take the initiative to reform, rather than being forced to do it by rebels.

 

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The rebellion was suppressed much more easily and much quicker than Franz had thought. After all, a mob was just a mob. When they were confronted by the army, their first reaction was not to fight but to run.

What followed was hardly suspenseful. The rebels made several attempts to resist but were easily routed by the City Defense Force. Lt. General Albrecht also deliberately released the defeated rebels to spread the word of their failure and the disparity between them and the army.

At the same time as the military assault, Franz also began a political assault. With his status as the Imperial Crown Prince, he guaranteed that only the leaders would be executed, while the other rebels would at most receive a light punishment if they surrendered.

During this era, the Hapsburgs were very influential in Austria. After receiving Franz’s guarantee, many rebel soldiers who had unwittingly become a part of the rebellion threw down their arms and surrendered without hesitation. The people of Vienna who had been harassed by the rebels also helped and supported the City Defense Force. Without the support of the public, the revolutionaries truly became mere rebels and usurpers.

Although the City Defense Force marched forward smoothly, Franz was feeling troubled. Looking at the broken buildings and destroyed infrastructure, he knew that Vienna’s economy would regress by at least five years. However, he had no time to brood as he still had to appease the shaken people of Vienna who had suffered at the hands of the rebels. As the Imperial Crown Prince, Franz naturally wanted to ease their pain and restore their confidence in the monarchy.

“Your Imperial Highness, the road to Hofburg Palace has been cleared!” Franz’s attendant Rolf Lechner reported, excitedly.

Franz revealed a hint of a smile. It was undoubtedly good news that the palace and the Emperor had not been harmed by the rebels.

“Inform His Imperial Majesty and the nobles that the palace and its vicinity are safe. Also, inform them that I will visit the palace after all the rebels have been dealt with!”

Politics was complicated. In order to achieve a decisive victory, Franz wanted to suppress the rebellion and stabilize the situation in Vienna before he reported to the Emperor. If he went there right now, the Regency Council might attempt to seize control of the City Defense Force from him and steal his merit of suppressing the rebellion. He would not jeopardize his future plans by gambling on the integrity of politicians.

Obviously, Franz was unaware that Chancellor Metternich had escaped from Vienna and Count Kolowrat’s whereabouts were unknown, leaving only Archduke Louis and his father in the Regency Council. Unless Emperor Ferdinand I, himself, led troops into battle, the largest merit for suppressing this rebellion belonged to Franz.

 

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A young man eagerly urged, “Father, let’s go before it’s too late!”

The middle-aged man kept glancing back at his manor before he reluctantly got in the carriage. This man was none other than Gert Schröder, the mastermind of the rebellion. However, the high-spirited man from before had now been replaced by a depressed man.

When the City Defense Force had returned to put down the rebellion, the capitalists didn’t take them seriously. After all, since the start of the rebellion, the rebel soldiers had grown to more than 50,000. The moment the two sides clashed, however, the outcome was already set in stone. Despite having more than twice the numbers, the rebels were slaughtered like dogs in the streets of Vienna.

They had been under the misconception that this battle would be no different from their previous battle with the leftovers of the City Defense Force. However, they received a rude awakening when the artillery bombarded them without prejudice, and before they knew it, they’d already lost.

Gert Schröder sighed and said, weakly, “After we escape, I don’t know when we will be able to return. The business that I have spent decades building is ruined!”

His son consoled, “We don’t have time to mourn our losses, father. We can just start a new business in a different place!”

If not for the sorrow evident in his son’s eyes, Gert Schröder would’ve really thought that he didn’t care for the family business.

Although it was said that business had no borders, in this era, it was not so easy to move to a new place and start a new business. Without a long-term business relationship, the new business would be swallowed up by the competing businesses already there. The 19th century had been the height of lawlessness and ruthlessness in capitalism.

It stood to reason that a big-time capitalist like Gert Schröder had no reason to personally start a revolution. Unfortunately, he had made the mistake of spending too much on hoarding grain to speculate on grain prices. He had expected to make a huge profit, but the nobles and British capitalists flooded the market with grain and other products.

Backed into a corner, if he hadn’t instigated a revolution, most of his businesses would go bankrupt and his family would forever decline. Driven by his interests and encouraged by his peers, Gert Schröder decided to risk it all; at worst, he would just run away. And the worst came to pass, so now he actually had to run away. If he stayed in Austria, even if the government spared him, the revolutionaries, who had suffered great losses, would certainly murder him and his entire family.

In fact, the deaths of the many capitalists during the revolution had not been a coincidence; it was the result of the internal struggle amongst capitalists.

It was said that “two of a trade never agree.”

Many capitalists wanted to crack down on their competitors, so that they could monopolize the market. Taking advantage of the revolution, they planned to rob their competitors’ wealth, or even have them killed before passing the blame onto the rebels. If the revolution had succeeded, none would be the wiser. Unfortunately, the army had been much more effective than they had imagined. Seeing that success was unlikely, before the rebellion was suppressed, the smart people had already escaped from Vienna.

Normally, money could solve most troubles in Austria, however, revolution was an exception. A revolution harmed the interests of the ruling class, members of whom wouldn’t forgive anyone who dared to usurp their power. So long as they were involved in a revolution, it was impossible that the Vienna government would let them go.

Gert Schröder and his son were far from the only ones to run away; everyone who had any part in the revolution, whether they were capitalists, nobles, or politicians, all fled from Vienna to save their lives. It was almost like a mass exodus.

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