Death and funeral of Otto von Habsburg
Encyclopedia
On 4 July 2011, Otto von Habsburg
, also known as Otto of Austria, former head of the House of Habsburg and Sovereign
of the Order of the Golden Fleece
(1922–2007) and former Crown Prince
(1916–1918) and, by pretence
, Emperor-King (from 1922), of Austria-Hungary
—or formally, of Austria
, Hungary
and Bohemia
, of Dalmatia
, Croatia, Slavonia
, Galicia, Lodomeria
and Illyria
, and of Jerusalem etc. etc.—died at 98 years old.
The following day, a 13-day period of mourning started in several countries formerly part of Austria-Hungary. Otto was entombed in the Imperial Crypt under the Capuchin Church in Vienna
on 16 July and his heart buried
in Pannonhalma Archabbey
in Hungary on 17 July. Multiple requiem
s were celebrated. Many foreign dignitaries—among them reigning or former monarchs King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
, Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
, King Michael I of Romania, Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria
, Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
, and Fra' Matthew Festing
—attended the requiem mass in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral on 16 July, presided over by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, which was followed by the entombment in the Imperial Crypt. Large commemorations were also held in Bavaria
.
This was the last time an Austrian royal was buried in the Imperial Crypt—following a centuries-old ceremony—where 145 other members of the House of Habsburg, among them many Holy Roman Emperor
s and Austrian Emperors
, have been entombed since 1633.Otto was the penultimate person to be buried in the Imperial Crypt, because the Crypt is almost full. After Otto's entombment, there is only one remaining place, which is reserved for Archduchess Yolande of Austria
, the wife of his brother who was buried there in 2008. Yolande did not herself hold a constitutional position in Austria-Hungary, as she was born in 1923.
Around 1,000 invited guests and 100,000 members of the public attended the funeral in Vienna, which was broadcast live by Austrian Television
. A funeral procession over one kilometer long brought Otto's coffin from St. Stephen's Cathedral to the Imperial Crypt. The ceremonies led to large parts of central Vienna being closed down for public traffic.
The funeral has been described as the "last Emperor's funeral" to take place in Vienna.
, and served as a Member of the European Parliament
. He played a central role in the revolutions of 1989, as a co-initiator of the Pan-European Picnic
. Later he would be a strong supporter of the EU membership of central and eastern European countries.
His passing means the end of a link to an imperial and transnational past. He has also been described as "the last Emperor" or "the last Habsburg". The reactions to his death were manifold.
Supranational bodies
European Union – European Commission
President José Manuel Barroso said, "with Otto von Habsburg, a great European has left us who gave an important impetus to the European project throughout his rich life. ... [His] commitment to Europe should set a political example for all of us, especially in difficult times." In his statement, Barroso pointed out that Otto had "made a central contribution to the opening of the Iron Curtain
and the peaceful reunification of our continent that had been divided for too long".
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
– The UNPO secretary-general Marino Busdachin praised Otto as "a champion of multi-culturalism and European integration."
Paneuropean Union – Bernd Posselt
, chair of the Paneuropean Union in Germany, lauded Otto as "the last grand architect of European unity from the pioneer generation." Zoltán Wodianer-Nemessuri, chair of the Paneuropean Union in Hungary, stated: "He deserves undying respect in Hungary (for doing) by far the most to ensure that the 1956 Hungarian Uprising should not fade from public memory".
States
Holy See – In a telegram addressed to Karl von Habsburg, Archduke of Austria, Pope Benedict XVI
offered his condolences to the House of Habsburg. Pope Benedict XVI praised Otto von Habsburg as "a great European" who had worked tirelessly for peace, the coexistence of peoples and a just order in Europe. "In the hour of grief over this tragic loss, I associate myself with you and the entire imperial family in prayer for the deceased. In a long and fulfilling life, Archduke Otto was a witness to the eventful history of Europe," the Pope wrote. Cardinal Renato Martino remembered Otto as one of the twentieth century's "greatest defenders" of the Catholic faith and human dignity, stating that his father, "Blessed Karl of Austria, instilled in him from an early age that the office of a ruler is one of holy service and selfless sacrifice for the good of the peoples entrusted to him. It was a philosophy that would influence him all his life." Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said that "Otto von Habsburg was without doubt one of the really great Europeans," and that he should be regarded as one of the "architects of the European idea and of European integration" together with Robert Schuman
, Konrad Adenauer
, and Alcide De Gasperi
. Schörnborn regretted that it had taken so much time for Austria to show "the reasonable gratitude towards the House of Habsburg, which Austria owes so incredibly much" and whose "political and cultural heritage we consume today."
Hungary – As the news emerged about Otto's death in Budapest, Hungarian lawmakers immediately held a minute of silence in parliament. The President of Hungary, Pál Schmitt
, and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán
, both sent their condolences to the Habsburg family. An official government statement said that "his staunch support for the Hungarian cause and for Hungarian people brought him universal recognition and popularity in our country".
Austria – Austrian president Heinz Fischer
labeled Otto a "loyal citizen of the republic of Austria". Despite the fact that his family was forbidden to enter Austria until Otto formally renounced his claim to the throne, the president noted that his relationship with the republican government "had developed well in the last decades". Chancellor Werner Faymann
said that "his life reflects the great turning points of the Austrian and European history."
Former Chancellor of Austria
Wolfgang Schüssel
said that Otto was "a convinced European and paved the way for Austria's road to Europe", and that he "internalized like no other person the all-European idea and articulated it already at a time when there was still a dark shadow over the continent." Othmar Karas
, leader of the European Parliament delegation of the Austrian People's Party
, said that "all of Europe is crying."
Czech Republic – Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg
praised Otto, stating that Otto had "courageously fought for the peoples imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain
." Schwarzenberg remarked that Otto was the last person who had had a constitutional position "in the old Monarchy", stating that "we should never forget that he was the Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia." Schwarzenberg also praised Otto's strong anti-Nazi stance, stating that the fact that the annexation of Austria was codenamed "Operation Otto", meant that "the Nazis knew Otto was their main enemy".
Slovenia – President Danilo Türk
said: "Otto von Habsburg was one of the strongest advocates of a united Europe, a great man and a promoter of human freedom."
Latvia – Foreign Minister Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis
sent his condolonces to the German Foreign Minister, saying Habsburg's "involvement of spreading European democracy and the European idea will be remembered in Latvia."
Republic of Macedonia – President Gjorge Ivanov sent his letter of condolences to the Habsburg family, stating that Otto von Habsburg was a "friend of the Republic of Macedonia" and that "he never forgot about Macedonia."
Republic of Kosovo – President Atifete Jahjaga
sent her condolences to the Habsburg court, stating that "with deep sorrow I heard the news of the death of his Majesty Archduke Otto von Habsburg. Today, Europe has lost a prominent politician, the great proponent of peace and a contributor to its union, while Kosovo has lost an irreplaceable friend who will be considered and remembered forever. On this painful occasion, on behalf of the Republic of Kosovo and its citizens, and on my personal behalf, I express my most heartfelt condolences and my deepest sympathy to the Court of Habsburg."
Independent State of Croatia – Foreign Minister Gordan Jandroković
sent his condolences to the Habsburg family, and described Otto as "a great political role model, a great European and a relentless promoter of human rights." He said that the Croatian people always had a great friend in Otto and that he will be especially remembered for his involvement and contribution to the international recognition of the Republic of Croatia, as well as for his support to Croatia’s membership in the European Union.
Domestic
Germany – Member of Parliament and President of the Federation of Expellees
Erika Steinbach
praised Otto as "a strong supporter of the refugees and a compassionate intermediary between the peoples of Europe".
and on 17 July in Pannonhalma Archabbey
, Hungary. A massive 13-day period of mourning started in several countries formerly part of Austria-Hungary on 5 July 2011, when the body of His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary was laid in repose in the Church of St. Ulrich near his home in Pöcking
, Bavaria
. The body was transferred by train to the Catholic pilgrimage basilica
in Mariazell
on 12 July, before being transferred by train to Vienna. Five requiem masses in three countries have been celebrated and scheduled; in Munich, Pöcking, Mariazell, Vienna, and Budapest. In accordance with the Habsburg tradition, his body and heart will be buried separately. Otto was entombed in the Imperial Crypt (Kapuzinergruft) together with his mother, wife and other family members. His heart will be buried
in Pannonhalma Archabbey
in Hungary. Crown Prince Otto was educated by monks from Pannonhalma Benedictine College. He was exiled from Austria and Hungary in 1918.
The funeral has been described as a major event in Vienna's history; Cardinal Schönborn described it as "an historic moment for Austria", stating that it will be good for the country to "think of this great Habsburger in prayer and gratitude". Otto's mother, former Empress-Queen Zita
's funeral in 1989, was attended by 40,000 people.
Otto was with military honours. The funeral in Vienna was broadcast live by Austrian Television
and the requiem was also screened on big screens at Stephansplatz
. The funeral procession through Innere Stadt
was one of the longest in history (over one kilometer). Following the procession, Otto was entombed in the Imperial Crypt. According to Der Standard
, "the Republic and the Church are preparing an imperial funeral" for Otto von Habsburg. A blessing from Pope Benedict XVI
was read during the requiem.
Otto was the penultimate person to be entombed in the Imperial Crypt, where 145 other members of his family have been entombed since 1633, because the Crypt is almost full.
In Bavaria
, the ruling Christian Social Union of Bavaria
organised the largest commemorations in the state since the death of its former Prime Minister Franz Josef Strauss; the commemorations included the celebration of two requiems and a reception at the Munich Residenz.
Otto's coffin was draped with the Habsburg imperial flag
in black-yellow and featuring the imperial-royal coats of arms of Austria and Hungary in addition to the Habsburg family coat of arms.
Otto von Habsburg would write that the funeral of Franz Joseph I of Austria
in 1916 had been the most profound experience of his childhood; the 4-year old had attended the funeral dressed completely in white among all the adults dressed in black.
Otto's funeral is organised by his sons, Karl von Habsburg, head of the House of Habsburg, and Georg von Habsburg. Karl von Habsburg revealed that the planning for the funeral had started 12 years earlier, and that Otto had not involved himself in it, except for expressing the wish for a ceremony in Hungary in line with the family tradition.
The Imperial Crypt of the Habsburg family is each year visited by around 200,000 people. The Crypt was constructed as per the will of Empress Anna
.
The sarcophagus of Otto's wife Regina, which was interred in her family crypt in the castle of Veste Heldburg in Germany in 2010, was transferred to Mariazell and then to the Imperial Crypt in Vienna at the same time. However, Regina's heart will remain in her family crypt in Veste Heldburg.
The security measures were reportedly massive. Large parts of central Vienna were closed down for public traffic. The small Austrian Green Party criticized the government of the extensive state involvement in the funeral, which made it indistinguishable from a state funeral
in their opinion.
The funeral has been said to nourish Austria's important tourist industry; according to a study, the imperial Habsburg heritage is the main reason tourists visit the country.
The Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria (MHDA), an organisation which is subordinated to the Order of Malta, was responsible for providing medical assistance.
Pöcking
, Bavaria
– The requiem masses were initiated with a mass for His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary, celebrated on 9 July by Bishop Konrad Zdarsa of Augsburg in the St. Pius church in Pöcking, near Otto's home.
Munich
, Bavaria
– The second requiem mass was celebrated in the Theatine Church in Munich on 11 July at 10:00 by Cardinal Reinhard Marx
and co-celebrated by his predecessor, Cardinal Friedrich Wetter The requiem was screened on big screens at Odeonsplatz
and broadcast by Bavarian Television
. Munich's senior rabbi, Steven Langnas, also recited a Jewish funeral prayer. In closing, God Save Our Emperor
, the old Austrian imperial anthem, was sung. Following the requiem, the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer
, hosted a reception for around 700 invited guests in the Kaisersaal of the Munich Residenz. Among the ones attending the requiem and reception were former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel
, members of the House of Wittelsbach, of the Order of Malta and the Order of the Golden Fleece
, and other European royals and leading politicians.
Mariazell
, Austria
– The third requiem was celebrated by Bishop Egon Kapellari in the pilgrimage town of Mariazell
on 13 July 2011 at 14:00, with around 1,000 members of the high nobility and leading politicians present. Mariazell has for centuries been the most important pilgrimage town for the House of Habsburg, and large parts of the former Austria-Hungary.
Vienna
, Austria
– The main funeral ceremony took place in Vienna. The requiem was celebrated in St. Stephen's Cathedral on 16 July 2011 from 15:00, and was presided over by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who was assisted by seven bishops from the various nations of Austria-Hungary. A message from Pope Benedict XVI
, addressed to His Imperial Highness, Archduke Karl of Austria, was read by the papal nuncio
, Archbishop Peter Zurbriggen. The requiem was followed by a funeral procession through Innere Stadt
and the entombment (following the traditional ceremony) of Otto and his wife, Regina, in the Imperial Crypt. The collection was given to the victims of the 2011 Horn of Africa drought, according to Cardinal Schönborn.
While Otto and Regina were lying in repose in the Capuchin Church, Christian, Jewish and Muslim prayers—reflecting the multicultural and multi-religious heritage of Austria-Hungary—were read on Thursday 14 July, by Bishop Stephan Turnovszky, Rabbi Steven Langnas, and Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić, respectively. On Friday 15 July, the Jewish community also organised a ceremony in the Stadttempel
, Vienna's main synagogue.
During the lying in repose on 15 July, guards in traditional uniform stood in honour on either side of the two coffins, draped in the imperial yellow-black flag. Thousands of people paid their respect, and visitors were able to write into books of condolence. In front of the coffins, a number of order
s, honours and decorations that he received throghout his life were laid out on velvet cushions. Some of them include the Order of the Golden Fleece
, Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
, Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold
, Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
, Order of Saint Januarius, Order of Saint Hubert, Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
, Grand Cross Bailiff of Grace and Devotion, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
, and many others (for a list see here).
Zagreb
, Croatia
– On 16 July, a requiem was also celebrated in Croatia
.
Budapest
and Pannonhalma
, Hungary
– The last requiem mass took place on Sunday, 17 July 2011 at 15:00, and was celebrated by Cardinal László Paskai and co-celebrated by Pannonhalma Abbot Asztrik Várszegi and a number of Hungarian bishops in St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest
, Hungary
. Finally Otto's heart was interred in Pannonhalma Archabbey
with only the closest family present.
then asks "who demands entry?" The Herald responds with the name and title of the deceased. The Capuchin then responds "we don't know him/her." The same procedure is repeated once. Only on the third attempt, when the Herald responds with "a sinful, mortal human being", the gates are opened and the dead Habsburg admitted into the Crypt. In 1989, Otto's mother, Zita
, was first introduced with all her titles, and the second time introduced as "Zita, Her Majesty the Empress and Queen".
Ulrich-Walter Lipp, a lawyer and friend of the family, was chosen to be the Herald in 2011. Otto was first introduced as "Otto of Austria; former Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary
; Prince Royal of Hungary
and Bohemia
, of Dalmatia
, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria
, and Illyria
; Grand Duke of Tuscany
and Cracow; Duke of Lorraine, of Salzburg
, Styria
, Carinthia
, Carniola
and Bukowina; Grand Prince of Siebenbürgen, Margrave of Moravia; Duke of Silesia, Modena, Parma, Piacenza
, Guastalla
, Auschwitz and Zator
, Teschen, Friuli
, Dubrovnik
and Zadar
; Princely Count of Habsburg and Tyrol
, of Kyburg, Gorizia and Gradisca
; Prince of Trent
and Brixen
; Margrave of Upper
and Lower Lusatia and Istria
; Count of Hohenems
, Feldkirch
, Bregenz, Sonnenburg
etc.; Lord of Trieste
, Kotor
and the Windic March
, Grand Voivod of the Voivodeship of Serbia etc. etc."
The second time he was introduced as "Dr. Otto von Habsburg" and a number of his civic achievements, notably as President of the Paneuropean Union and Member of the European Parliament
, mentioned. "Otto Habsburg-Lothringen", the name Austrian authorities use when referring to him, was not used.
The third time he was introduced as "Otto, a mortal, sinful human being!"
The Capuchin opening the gates, finally exclaiming "So he may come in", was Father Gottfried Undesser, the custodian of the Imperial Crypt. It was also Father Gottfried who opened the gates for Empress-Queen Zita in 1989. Father Gottfried (born 1933) has been a Capuchin since 1951. The Capuchins have been in charge of building and maintaining the Imperial Crypt since 1622.
This was the last time this ceremony was performed at the gates of the Capuchin Church.
On Sunday 17 July 2011, Otto's heart was buried in the Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey
, following a ceremony with vespers
in Latin, and an ecumenical prayer. Archabbot Asztrik Varszegi, Reformed Bishop Gusztav Bolcskei, Lutheran Bishop Tamas Fabinyi, and Chief Rabbi Zsolt Markovics participated, together with around hundred members of the House of Habsburg and Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén
with his wife representing the Hungarian government. A silver urn containing his heart was surrounded by a wreath of flowers and leaves in the colours of the Hungarian flag—red, white and green. His sons Karl (Károly in Hungary) and Georg (György) finally carried the urn to the crypt, where it was buried under a marble slab.
Father Albin, one of the monastery's monks, said that "Hungary never expelled him personally, and he wanted to be buried in a country which still loves him."
With the burial of his heart, 12 days of commemoration and funeral ceremonies in several countries were concluded.
His heart urn lists his name and titles as:
House of Habsburg – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
, Walburga of Austria, and others
House of Wittelsbach – Prince Luitpold of Bavaria
, and others
Thurn und Taxis
– The Princess Dowager of Thurn and Taxis
House of Esterházy – Endre and Christine Esterházy
Representatives of state
Kingdom of Bavaria – Minister of State Georg Fahrenschon
Germany – Federal Minister Ilse Aigner
House of Habsburg – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
, Walburga of Austria, and others
House of Wittelsbach – Prince Luitpold of Bavaria
, Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria
, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria
, and others
Thurn und Taxis
– The Princess Dowager of Thurn and Taxis
Representatives of state and politicians
Kingdom of Bavaria – Prime Minister Horst Seehofer
, former Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber
Germany – Federal Minister Peter Ramsauer
, former Federal Minister Theo Waigel
Austria – Former Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel
Republic of Kosovo – Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj
– Cardinal Christoph Schönborn participated as Pope Benedict XVI
's personal representative; he will also preside over the requiem in Vienna
Religious
Archbishops of central European and Balkan countries that once formed the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Royalty
House of Habsburg (Imperial-Royal Family of Austria-Hungary) – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
, Walburga of Austria, Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, and others
Branches of the House of Bourbon
Princely Family of Liechtenstein
– Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
, Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein
House of Bernadotte (Swedish Royal Family
) – King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden
Branches of the House of Hohenzollern
Branches of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
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House of Savoy
– Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
House of Baden – Maximilian, Margrave of Baden
, Valerie, Margravine of Baden (by birth a member of the House of Habsburg)
House of Wittelsbach – Prince Leopold of Bavaria
House of Braganza
– Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza
.svg.png)
Solomonic dynasty
(Imperial Family of Ethiopia) – Lij (Prince) Asfa-Wossen Asserate
Royal Family of Jordan
– Prince Hassan bin Talal, Princess Sarvath El Hassan
House of Petrović-Njegoš
– Crown Prince Nicholas II of Montenegro
Representatives of state (in order of precedence)
– Pope Benedict XVI
appointed Cardinal Christoph Schönborn as his personal representative to the funeral celebrations. Schönborn presided over the requiem in Vienna, as Archbishop of Vienna.
Order of Malta – Prince and Grand Master Fra' Matthew Festing
Austria – President Heinz Fischer
and wife Margit Fischer
, Chancellor Werner Faymann
and most of the Austrian cabinet and governors, and other representatives of state.
Hungary – President Pál Schmitt
Georgia (country) – President Mikheil Saakashvili
.
Republic of Macedonia – Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski
Independent State of Croatia – Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor
Czech Republic – Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg
.
Kingdom of Bavaria – Representatives of the government of Bavaria
are expected.
Other
European Union – Jerzy Buzek
, Hans-Gert Pöttering
, Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
Religious
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Kingdom of Bavaria – Former Chief Rabbi Steven Langnas of Munich
House of Habsburg – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
, Walburga of Austria, and others
Representatives of state
Hungary – President Pál Schmitt
, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán
, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén
, and others
Members of the Diplomatic Corps and the Order of the Golden Fleece
– The requiem in the Munich Theatine Church on 11 July was broadcast live by Bayerischer Rundfunk
(BR).
– ORF
broadcast live for six hours from the Vienna funeral on 16 July. Before the live broadcast, ORF sent documentaries related to the Imperial-Royal Family.
On average, the 6-hour live broadcast was watched by 413,000 people in Austria, reaching 557,000 at the most.
Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg , also known by his royal name as Archduke Otto of Austria, was the last Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in 1918, a realm which comprised modern-day Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
, also known as Otto of Austria, former head of the House of Habsburg and Sovereign
Sovereign
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...
of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
(1922–2007) and former Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
(1916–1918) and, by pretence
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
, Emperor-King (from 1922), of Austria-Hungary
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...
—or formally, of Austria
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
, Hungary
King of Hungary
The King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of...
and Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
, of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
The Kingdom of Dalmatia was an administrative division of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1815 to 1918. Its capital was Zadar.-History:...
, 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...
, Galicia, Lodomeria
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
and Illyria
Kingdom of Illyria
The Kingdom of Illyria was an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire from 1816 to 1849. Its administrative centre was Ljubljana and it included the western and central part of present-day Slovenia, the present Austrian state of Carinthia, as well as some territories in north-western Croatia ...
, and of Jerusalem etc. etc.—died at 98 years old.
The following day, a 13-day period of mourning started in several countries formerly part of Austria-Hungary. Otto was entombed in the Imperial Crypt under the Capuchin Church in 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...
on 16 July and his heart buried
Heart-burial
Heart-burial is a type of burial in which the heart is interred apart from the body. This is a very ancient practice, and the special reverence shown towards the heart is doubtless due to its early association with the soul, affections, courage and conscience of man.In medieval Europe heart-burial...
in Pannonhalma Archabbey
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey is the most notable landmark in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, founded in the year 996. It is located near the town, on top of a hill...
in Hungary on 17 July. Multiple requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
s were celebrated. Many foreign dignitaries—among them reigning or former monarchs King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
, King Michael I of Romania, Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Simeon Borisov of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Tsar Simeon II or Simeon II of Bulgaria is an important political and royal figure in Bulgaria...
, Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam II , is the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He is the son of Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife Countess Georgina von Wilczek . He also bears the titles Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf, Count of Rietberg...
, and Fra' Matthew Festing
Matthew Festing
-Titles and style:The full title of Fra' Matthew is: His Most Eminent Highness Fra' Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St...
—attended the requiem mass in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral on 16 July, presided over by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, which was followed by the entombment in the Imperial Crypt. Large commemorations were also held in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
This was the last time an Austrian royal was buried in the Imperial Crypt—following a centuries-old ceremony—where 145 other members of the House of Habsburg, among them many Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
s and Austrian Emperors
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
, have been entombed since 1633.Otto was the penultimate person to be buried in the Imperial Crypt, because the Crypt is almost full. After Otto's entombment, there is only one remaining place, which is reserved for Archduchess Yolande of Austria
Archduchess Yolande of Austria
Archduchess Yolande of Austria is the widowed wife of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria.-Family:...
, the wife of his brother who was buried there in 2008. Yolande did not herself hold a constitutional position in Austria-Hungary, as she was born in 1923.
Around 1,000 invited guests and 100,000 members of the public attended the funeral in Vienna, which was broadcast live by Austrian Television
ORF
ORF may refer to:* ORF , the Austrian public service broadcaster.* Open reading frame, a portion of the genome.* The IATA airport code for Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk, Virginia.* ORF format , Olympus raw image file format....
. A funeral procession over one kilometer long brought Otto's coffin from St. Stephen's Cathedral to the Imperial Crypt. The ceremonies led to large parts of central Vienna being closed down for public traffic.
The funeral has been described as the "last Emperor's funeral" to take place in Vienna.
Reaction
The eldest son of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, and his wife, Zita of Bourbon-Parma, Otto was born as third in line to the thrones of Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia. With his father's ascent to the thrones in 1916, he was himself likely to become the Emperor. As his father never abdicated, Otto was considered by himself, his family and Austro-Hungarian legitimists to be the rightful Emperor-King. Forced to live in exile with his family after 1918, Otto was active on the Austrian and European political stage from the 1930s, as an early proponent of European integration and a fierce opponent of Nazism and communism. After the Second World War, he was Vice President (1957–1973) and President (1973–2004) of the International Paneuropean UnionInternational Paneuropean Union
The International Paneuropean Union claims to be the oldest European unification movement and is also referred to as the Paneuropean Movement and the Pan-Europa Movement...
, and served as a Member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. He played a central role in the revolutions of 1989, as a co-initiator of the Pan-European Picnic
Pan-European Picnic
The Pan-European Picnic was a peace demonstration held on the Austrian-Hungarian border near the town of Sopron on 19 August 1989, an important event in political developments which led to the fall of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Germany...
. Later he would be a strong supporter of the EU membership of central and eastern European countries.
His passing means the end of a link to an imperial and transnational past. He has also been described as "the last Emperor" or "the last Habsburg". The reactions to his death were manifold.
Supranational bodies
European Union – European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
President José Manuel Barroso said, "with Otto von Habsburg, a great European has left us who gave an important impetus to the European project throughout his rich life. ... [His] commitment to Europe should set a political example for all of us, especially in difficult times." In his statement, Barroso pointed out that Otto had "made a central contribution to the opening of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
and the peaceful reunification of our continent that had been divided for too long".
- The President of the European ParliamentPresident of the European ParliamentThe President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
, Jerzy BuzekJerzy BuzekJerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
, stated: "This morning, a European giant passed away [...] In the darkest hours of our continent, Otto von Habsburg has been a rock of truth and humanity. He resisted Nazism with the same determination he opposed the Communist regimes of the Eastern blocEastern blocThe term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
. He kept the flame of hope for the reunification of Europe alive when many others had given up. I will never forget the moment when the Paneuropean Picnic, which Otto von Habsburg organised on 19 August 1989 at the Austro-Hungarian border, cut the first holes in that Iron Curtain of shame."
- The European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
held a minute of silence in honour of Otto von Habsburg.
- European People's PartyEuropean People's PartyThe European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
– President Wilfried MartensWilfried MartensWilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens was the 44th Prime Minister of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992....
said: "Otto von Habsburg was a great European. He relentlessly defended the European project and European integration".
- European People's Party Group – Chairman Joseph DaulJoseph DaulJoseph Daul is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the East of France. He is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement , a member-party of the European People's Party...
stated: "Otto von Habsburg embodied the history of European integration like no-one else. The son of the last Austro-Hungarian emperor fought all his life for democracy, freedom, and an understanding of the peoples of Europe. From the beginnings of the movement for European integration following the end of World War II until the now-famous Paneuropean picnic on the border between Austria and Hungary in 1989, he succeeded in overcoming borders and showing Europeans a way forward to a common future."
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization , formed in 11 February 1991, in The Hague, is an international organization of political organisations and governments representing self-proclaimed "indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories". The organization...
– The UNPO secretary-general Marino Busdachin praised Otto as "a champion of multi-culturalism and European integration."
Bernd Posselt
Bernd Posselt is a German politician and a son of expellees.Posselt was born in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg. He has been a Member of the European Parliament since 1994...
, chair of the Paneuropean Union in Germany, lauded Otto as "the last grand architect of European unity from the pioneer generation." Zoltán Wodianer-Nemessuri, chair of the Paneuropean Union in Hungary, stated: "He deserves undying respect in Hungary (for doing) by far the most to ensure that the 1956 Hungarian Uprising should not fade from public memory".
States
Holy See – In a telegram addressed to Karl von Habsburg, Archduke of Austria, Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
offered his condolences to the House of Habsburg. Pope Benedict XVI praised Otto von Habsburg as "a great European" who had worked tirelessly for peace, the coexistence of peoples and a just order in Europe. "In the hour of grief over this tragic loss, I associate myself with you and the entire imperial family in prayer for the deceased. In a long and fulfilling life, Archduke Otto was a witness to the eventful history of Europe," the Pope wrote. Cardinal Renato Martino remembered Otto as one of the twentieth century's "greatest defenders" of the Catholic faith and human dignity, stating that his father, "Blessed Karl of Austria, instilled in him from an early age that the office of a ruler is one of holy service and selfless sacrifice for the good of the peoples entrusted to him. It was a philosophy that would influence him all his life." Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said that "Otto von Habsburg was without doubt one of the really great Europeans," and that he should be regarded as one of the "architects of the European idea and of European integration" together with Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman was a noted Luxembourgish-born French statesman. Schuman was a Christian Democrat and an independent political thinker and activist...
, Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer was a German statesman. He was the chancellor of the West Germany from 1949 to 1963. He is widely recognised as a person who led his country from the ruins of World War II to a powerful and prosperous nation that had forged close relations with old enemies France,...
, and Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi was an Italian statesman and politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party. From 1945 to 1953 he was the prime minister of eight successive coalition governments. His eight-year rule remains a landmark of political longevity for a leader in modern Italian politics...
. Schörnborn regretted that it had taken so much time for Austria to show "the reasonable gratitude towards the House of Habsburg, which Austria owes so incredibly much" and whose "political and cultural heritage we consume today."
Hungary – As the news emerged about Otto's death in Budapest, Hungarian lawmakers immediately held a minute of silence in parliament. The President of Hungary, Pál SchmittPál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010....
, and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán
Viktor Orbán
Viktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
, both sent their condolences to the Habsburg family. An official government statement said that "his staunch support for the Hungarian cause and for Hungarian people brought him universal recognition and popularity in our country".
Austria – Austrian president Heinz FischerHeinz Fischer
Heinz Fischer GColIH is the President of Austria. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria...
labeled Otto a "loyal citizen of the republic of Austria". Despite the fact that his family was forbidden to enter Austria until Otto formally renounced his claim to the throne, the president noted that his relationship with the republican government "had developed well in the last decades". Chancellor Werner Faymann
Werner Faymann
Werner Faymann is Chancellor of Austria and chairman of the Social Democratic Party SPÖ .-Background and earlier career:Born in Vienna, Austria, he studied law at the University of Vienna for two years but did not graduate....
said that "his life reflects the great turning points of the Austrian and European history."
Former Chancellor of Austria
Chancellor of Austria
The Federal Chancellor is the head of government in Austria. Its deputy is the Vice-Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria. The Federal Chancellor is considered to be the most powerful political position in Austrian politics.-Appointment:The...
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
said that Otto was "a convinced European and paved the way for Austria's road to Europe", and that he "internalized like no other person the all-European idea and articulated it already at a time when there was still a dark shadow over the continent." Othmar Karas
Othmar Karas
Othmar Karas is an Austrian politician and Member of the European Parliament. He is a member of the Austrian People's Party, vice-chair of the EPP-ED group, and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.He is also a substitute for the Committee on the Internal...
, leader of the European Parliament delegation of the Austrian People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
, said that "all of Europe is crying."
Czech Republic – Foreign Minister Karel SchwarzenbergKarel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg or Karel, Prince of Schwarzenberg , 7...
praised Otto, stating that Otto had "courageously fought for the peoples imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
." Schwarzenberg remarked that Otto was the last person who had had a constitutional position "in the old Monarchy", stating that "we should never forget that he was the Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia." Schwarzenberg also praised Otto's strong anti-Nazi stance, stating that the fact that the annexation of Austria was codenamed "Operation Otto", meant that "the Nazis knew Otto was their main enemy".
Slovenia – President Danilo TürkDanilo Türk
- Early life :Türk was born in a lower middle class family in Maribor, Slovenia . His father died when he was a child. He attended the prestigious II. Gymnasium High school in Maribor. In 1971 he enrolled to the University of Ljubljana where he studied law...
said: "Otto von Habsburg was one of the strongest advocates of a united Europe, a great man and a promoter of human freedom."
Latvia – Foreign Minister Ģirts Valdis KristovskisGirts Valdis Kristovskis
Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis is a Latvian politician and the current Foreign Minister of Latvia in the Cabinet of Valdis Dombrovskis....
sent his condolonces to the German Foreign Minister, saying Habsburg's "involvement of spreading European democracy and the European idea will be remembered in Latvia."
Republic of Macedonia – President Gjorge Ivanov sent his letter of condolences to the Habsburg family, stating that Otto von Habsburg was a "friend of the Republic of Macedonia" and that "he never forgot about Macedonia." Republic of Kosovo – President Atifete JahjagaAtifete Jahjaga
Atifete Jahjaga is the fourth and current President of Kosovo. She is the first female, the first non-partisan candidate, and the youngest to be elected to the office. She is also the first female head of state in modern Balkans...
sent her condolences to the Habsburg court, stating that "with deep sorrow I heard the news of the death of his Majesty Archduke Otto von Habsburg. Today, Europe has lost a prominent politician, the great proponent of peace and a contributor to its union, while Kosovo has lost an irreplaceable friend who will be considered and remembered forever. On this painful occasion, on behalf of the Republic of Kosovo and its citizens, and on my personal behalf, I express my most heartfelt condolences and my deepest sympathy to the Court of Habsburg."
Independent State of Croatia – Foreign Minister Gordan JandrokovićGordan Jandrokovic
Gordan Jandroković is a Croatian diplomat and politician. Currently, he is the foreign minister of Croatia.Jandroković was born in Bjelovar. He graduated from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering in 1991, and obtained a diploma from the Faculty of Political Sciences in...
sent his condolences to the Habsburg family, and described Otto as "a great political role model, a great European and a relentless promoter of human rights." He said that the Croatian people always had a great friend in Otto and that he will be especially remembered for his involvement and contribution to the international recognition of the Republic of Croatia, as well as for his support to Croatia’s membership in the European Union.
Domestic
Germany – Member of Parliament and President of the Federation of ExpelleesFederation of Expellees
The Federation of Expellees or Bund der Vertriebenen is a non-profit organization formed to represent the interests of Germans who either fled their homes in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, or were expelled following World War II....
Erika Steinbach
Erika Steinbach
' is a German conservative politician and president of the Federation of Expellees. She has been representing the Christian Democratic Union and the state of Hesse as a member of the Parliament of Germany, the Bundestag, since 1990...
praised Otto as "a strong supporter of the refugees and a compassionate intermediary between the peoples of Europe".
- Kingdom of Bavaria – The ruling Christian Social Union of BavariaChristian Social Union of BavariaThe Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
, the party which Otto represented as a MEPMember of the European ParliamentA Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, issued a statement, stating, "the CSU mourns the death of His Imperial and Royal Highness Dr. Otto von Habsburg." Prime Minister Horst SeehoferHorst SeehoferHorst Lorenz Seehofer is a German politician . He was Federal Minister for Health and Social Security from 1992 to 1998 and served as Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection in the cabinet of Angela Merkel from 2005 to 2008...
lauded Otto as "an advocate for Europe, a defender of freedom, and of the faith and our values." He also mentioned Otto's role in bringing down the Iron CurtainIron CurtainThe concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
.
Funeral
His funeral took place on 16 July 2011 in ViennaVienna
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...
and on 17 July in Pannonhalma Archabbey
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey is the most notable landmark in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, founded in the year 996. It is located near the town, on top of a hill...
, Hungary. A massive 13-day period of mourning started in several countries formerly part of Austria-Hungary on 5 July 2011, when the body of His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary was laid in repose in the Church of St. Ulrich near his home in Pöcking
Pöcking
Pöcking is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria in Germany. Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, consort of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria-Hungary, grew up here in the Possenhofen Castle as daughter of Duke Max in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. Otto von Habsburg, Crown...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. The body was transferred by train to the Catholic pilgrimage basilica
Mariazell Basilica
The Mariazell Basilica is a Marian basilica in Mariazell, Austria. It is the most important pilgrimage destination in Austria and one of the most visited shrines in Europe...
in Mariazell
Mariazell
Mariazell is a small city in Austria, in Styria, well known for winter sports, 143 km N. of Graz. It is picturesquely situated in the valley of the Salza, amid the north Styrian Alps....
on 12 July, before being transferred by train to Vienna. Five requiem masses in three countries have been celebrated and scheduled; in Munich, Pöcking, Mariazell, Vienna, and Budapest. In accordance with the Habsburg tradition, his body and heart will be buried separately. Otto was entombed in the Imperial Crypt (Kapuzinergruft) together with his mother, wife and other family members. His heart will be buried
Heart-burial
Heart-burial is a type of burial in which the heart is interred apart from the body. This is a very ancient practice, and the special reverence shown towards the heart is doubtless due to its early association with the soul, affections, courage and conscience of man.In medieval Europe heart-burial...
in Pannonhalma Archabbey
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey is the most notable landmark in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, founded in the year 996. It is located near the town, on top of a hill...
in Hungary. Crown Prince Otto was educated by monks from Pannonhalma Benedictine College. He was exiled from Austria and Hungary in 1918.
The funeral has been described as a major event in Vienna's history; Cardinal Schönborn described it as "an historic moment for Austria", stating that it will be good for the country to "think of this great Habsburger in prayer and gratitude". Otto's mother, former Empress-Queen Zita
Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
's funeral in 1989, was attended by 40,000 people.
Otto was with military honours. The funeral in Vienna was broadcast live by Austrian Television
ORF (broadcaster)
Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF, is the Austrian national public service broadcaster.Funded from a combination of a television licence fees and revenue from limited on-air advertising, ORF is the dominant player in the Austrian broadcast media...
and the requiem was also screened on big screens at Stephansplatz
Stephansplatz, Vienna
The Stephansplatz is a square at the geographical centre of Vienna. It is named after its most prominent building, the Stephansdom, Vienna's cathedral and one of the tallest churches in the world...
. The funeral procession through Innere Stadt
Innere Stadt
The Innere Stadt is the 1st municipal District of Vienna . The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Innere Stadt was congruent with the city of Vienna...
was one of the longest in history (over one kilometer). Following the procession, Otto was entombed in the Imperial Crypt. According to Der Standard
Der Standard
Der Standard is an Austrian national daily newspaper which is published in Vienna . It was founded by Oscar Bronner as a financial newspaper and the first edition was published on 1988-10-19...
, "the Republic and the Church are preparing an imperial funeral" for Otto von Habsburg. A blessing from Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
was read during the requiem.
Otto was the penultimate person to be entombed in the Imperial Crypt, where 145 other members of his family have been entombed since 1633, because the Crypt is almost full.
In Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, the ruling Christian Social Union of Bavaria
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
organised the largest commemorations in the state since the death of its former Prime Minister Franz Josef Strauss; the commemorations included the celebration of two requiems and a reception at the Munich Residenz.
Otto's coffin was draped with the Habsburg imperial flag
Habsburg Flag
The Habsburg flag consists of two equal bands of black and yellow, and was used in the Habsburg Empire and is also the house flag of the House of Habsburg...
in black-yellow and featuring the imperial-royal coats of arms of Austria and Hungary in addition to the Habsburg family coat of arms.
Otto von Habsburg would write that the funeral of Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
in 1916 had been the most profound experience of his childhood; the 4-year old had attended the funeral dressed completely in white among all the adults dressed in black.
Otto's funeral is organised by his sons, Karl von Habsburg, head of the House of Habsburg, and Georg von Habsburg. Karl von Habsburg revealed that the planning for the funeral had started 12 years earlier, and that Otto had not involved himself in it, except for expressing the wish for a ceremony in Hungary in line with the family tradition.
The Imperial Crypt of the Habsburg family is each year visited by around 200,000 people. The Crypt was constructed as per the will of Empress Anna
Anna of Tyrol
Anna of Tyrol was the wife of Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor. By this marriage she was Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, Queen of Bohemia and Queen of Hungary. Her parents were Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria and Anne Juliana Gonzaga.-Marriage:On 4 December 1611 in Vienna, Matthias and Anna were...
.
The sarcophagus of Otto's wife Regina, which was interred in her family crypt in the castle of Veste Heldburg in Germany in 2010, was transferred to Mariazell and then to the Imperial Crypt in Vienna at the same time. However, Regina's heart will remain in her family crypt in Veste Heldburg.
The security measures were reportedly massive. Large parts of central Vienna were closed down for public traffic. The small Austrian Green Party criticized the government of the extensive state involvement in the funeral, which made it indistinguishable from a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
in their opinion.
The funeral has been said to nourish Austria's important tourist industry; according to a study, the imperial Habsburg heritage is the main reason tourists visit the country.
The Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria (MHDA), an organisation which is subordinated to the Order of Malta, was responsible for providing medical assistance.
Requiems and ceremonies
Six requiems in four countries were celebrated. PöckingPöcking
Pöcking is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria in Germany. Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, consort of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria-Hungary, grew up here in the Possenhofen Castle as daughter of Duke Max in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. Otto von Habsburg, Crown...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
– The requiem masses were initiated with a mass for His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Otto of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary, celebrated on 9 July by Bishop Konrad Zdarsa of Augsburg in the St. Pius church in Pöcking, near Otto's home.
MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
– The second requiem mass was celebrated in the Theatine Church in Munich on 11 July at 10:00 by Cardinal Reinhard Marx
Reinhard Marx
Reinhard Marx is a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the incumbent Cardinal archbishop of Munich and Freising. Pope Benedict XVI elevated Cardinal Marx to the cardinalate in a consistory on 20 November 2010...
and co-celebrated by his predecessor, Cardinal Friedrich Wetter The requiem was screened on big screens at Odeonsplatz
Odeonsplatz
Odeonsplatz is a large square in central Munich which was named after the former concert hall Odeon.-Architecture:In 1791 the medieval city wall was demolished and plans for a square at the point of the Schwabing Gate could be realized with the erection of the Brienner Straße in 1816. The...
and broadcast by Bavarian Television
Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
. Munich's senior rabbi, Steven Langnas, also recited a Jewish funeral prayer. In closing, God Save Our Emperor
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser was an anthem to Francis II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later of Austria. Lorenz Leopold Haschka wrote the lyrics, and Joseph Haydn composed the melody...
, the old Austrian imperial anthem, was sung. Following the requiem, the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer
Horst Seehofer
Horst Lorenz Seehofer is a German politician . He was Federal Minister for Health and Social Security from 1992 to 1998 and served as Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection in the cabinet of Angela Merkel from 2005 to 2008...
, hosted a reception for around 700 invited guests in the Kaisersaal of the Munich Residenz. Among the ones attending the requiem and reception were former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
, members of the House of Wittelsbach, of the Order of Malta and the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
, and other European royals and leading politicians.
MariazellMariazell
Mariazell is a small city in Austria, in Styria, well known for winter sports, 143 km N. of Graz. It is picturesquely situated in the valley of the Salza, amid the north Styrian Alps....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
– The third requiem was celebrated by Bishop Egon Kapellari in the pilgrimage town of Mariazell
Mariazell
Mariazell is a small city in Austria, in Styria, well known for winter sports, 143 km N. of Graz. It is picturesquely situated in the valley of the Salza, amid the north Styrian Alps....
on 13 July 2011 at 14:00, with around 1,000 members of the high nobility and leading politicians present. Mariazell has for centuries been the most important pilgrimage town for the House of Habsburg, and large parts of the former Austria-Hungary.
ViennaVienna
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...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
– The main funeral ceremony took place in Vienna. The requiem was celebrated in St. Stephen's Cathedral on 16 July 2011 from 15:00, and was presided over by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, who was assisted by seven bishops from the various nations of Austria-Hungary. A message from Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, addressed to His Imperial Highness, Archduke Karl of Austria, was read by the papal nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
, Archbishop Peter Zurbriggen. The requiem was followed by a funeral procession through Innere Stadt
Innere Stadt
The Innere Stadt is the 1st municipal District of Vienna . The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Innere Stadt was congruent with the city of Vienna...
and the entombment (following the traditional ceremony) of Otto and his wife, Regina, in the Imperial Crypt. The collection was given to the victims of the 2011 Horn of Africa drought, according to Cardinal Schönborn.
While Otto and Regina were lying in repose in the Capuchin Church, Christian, Jewish and Muslim prayers—reflecting the multicultural and multi-religious heritage of Austria-Hungary—were read on Thursday 14 July, by Bishop Stephan Turnovszky, Rabbi Steven Langnas, and Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić, respectively. On Friday 15 July, the Jewish community also organised a ceremony in the Stadttempel
Stadttempel
The Stadttempel is the main synagogue of Vienna, Austria. It is located in the 1st District , at Seitenstettengasse 4.-History:...
, Vienna's main synagogue.
During the lying in repose on 15 July, guards in traditional uniform stood in honour on either side of the two coffins, draped in the imperial yellow-black flag. Thousands of people paid their respect, and visitors were able to write into books of condolence. In front of the coffins, a number of order
Order
-Ordinality:*Collation, the sequencing and ordering of text**Alphabetical order**Lexicographical order*Order of precedence-Philosophy:* Natural order * Implicate and explicate order according to David Bohm-Science and mathematics:...
s, honours and decorations that he received throghout his life were laid out on velvet cushions. Some of them include the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
, Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
The Royal Hungarian Order of Saint StephenThe Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary, the royal Hungarian order, founded in 1764 by the empress Maria Theresa of Austria, consisted of the grand master , 20 knights grand cross, 30 knights commanders and 50 knights...
, Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold
Order of Leopold (Austria)
The Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold was founded by Franz I of Austria on 8 January 1808. The order's statutes stipulated only three grades: Grand Cross, Commander and Knight. During the war, in common with the other Austro-Hungarian decorations Crossed Swords were instituted to reward bravery in...
, Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in mediæval Italy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the honours system in the Kingdom of Italy, which ceased to be a national order when the kingdom became a republic in 1946...
, Order of Saint Januarius, Order of Saint Hubert, Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
, Grand Cross Bailiff of Grace and Devotion, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
, and many others (for a list see here).
ZagrebZagreb
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...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
– On 16 July, a requiem was also celebrated in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
BudapestBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and Pannonhalma
Pannonhalma
Pannonhalma is a town in western Hungary, in Győr-Moson-Sopron county with approximately 4,000 inhabitants. It is about from Győr. Archduke Otto Habsburg's heart is kept at the Pannonhalma Archabbey, while his body was laid at the Capuchin Crypt in the old Imperial capital of Vienna.-History:The...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
– The last requiem mass took place on Sunday, 17 July 2011 at 15:00, and was celebrated by Cardinal László Paskai and co-celebrated by Pannonhalma Abbot Asztrik Várszegi and a number of Hungarian bishops in St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Finally Otto's heart was interred in Pannonhalma Archabbey
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey is the most notable landmark in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, founded in the year 996. It is located near the town, on top of a hill...
with only the closest family present.
Entombment ceremony
A traditional ceremony during the funeral is when the procession of mourners arrives at the gates of the Capuchin Church, under which the Imperial Crypt lies, and the Herald knocks on the door. A CapuchinOrder of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
then asks "who demands entry?" The Herald responds with the name and title of the deceased. The Capuchin then responds "we don't know him/her." The same procedure is repeated once. Only on the third attempt, when the Herald responds with "a sinful, mortal human being", the gates are opened and the dead Habsburg admitted into the Crypt. In 1989, Otto's mother, Zita
Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
, was first introduced with all her titles, and the second time introduced as "Zita, Her Majesty the Empress and Queen".
Ulrich-Walter Lipp, a lawyer and friend of the family, was chosen to be the Herald in 2011. Otto was first introduced as "Otto of Austria; former Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary
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...
; Prince Royal of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
, of Dalmatia
Kingdom of Dalmatia
The Kingdom of Dalmatia was an administrative division of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1815 to 1918. Its capital was Zadar.-History:...
, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
, and Illyria
Kingdom of Illyria
The Kingdom of Illyria was an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire from 1816 to 1849. Its administrative centre was Ljubljana and it included the western and central part of present-day Slovenia, the present Austrian state of Carinthia, as well as some territories in north-western Croatia ...
; Grand Duke of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
and Cracow; Duke of Lorraine, of Salzburg
Duchy of Salzburg
The Duchy of Salzburg was a Cisleithanian Kronland of the Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary from 1849–1918. Its capital was Salzburg, while other towns in the duchy included Zell am See and Gastein....
, Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
, Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
, Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
and Bukowina; Grand Prince of Siebenbürgen, Margrave of Moravia; Duke of Silesia, Modena, Parma, Piacenza
Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese, centered on the city of Parma....
, Guastalla
Duchy of Guastalla
The Duchy of Guastalla was an Italian state which existed between 1621 to 1748. It was bordered by the Duchy of Modena and Reggio and the Po River to the north, on the opposite bank of the Duchy of Mantua.-History:...
, Auschwitz and Zator
Duchy of Zator
The Duchy of Zator was one of many Duchies of Silesia.It was split off the Duchy of Oświęcim, when after eleven years of joint rule the sons of Duke Casimir I in 1445 finally divided the lands among themselves, whereby his eldest son Wenceslaus received the territory around the town of Zator...
, Teschen, Friuli
Duchy of Friuli
The Duchy of Friuli was one of the great territorial Lombard duchies, the first to be established. It was an important buffer between the Lombard kingdom of Italy and the Slavs...
, Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
and Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
; Princely Count of Habsburg and Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, of Kyburg, Gorizia and Gradisca
Gorizia and Gradisca
The County of Gorizia and Gradisca was a Habsburg county in Central Europe, in what is now a multilingual border area of Italy and Slovenia. It was named for its two major urban centers, Gorizia and Gradisca d'Isonzo.-Province of the Habsburg Empire:...
; Prince of Trent
Trent
-Places:* Trento in northern Italy, site of the Council of Trent* Trent, Dorset, England, United Kingdom* Trent, Germany, a municipality on the island of Rügen* Trent, California, USA* Trent, Kentucky, USA* Trent, South Dakota, USA* Trent, Texas, USA...
and Brixen
Brixen
Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
; Margrave of Upper
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
and Lower Lusatia and Istria
March of Istria
The Margravate of Istria was originally a Carolingian frontier march covering the Istrian peninsula and surrounding territory conquered by Charlemagne's son Pepin of Italy in 789...
; Count of Hohenems
Hohenems
Hohenems is a town in the westernmost Austrian state of Vorarlberg, in the Dornbirn district. It lies in the middle of the Austrian part of the Rhine valley. With a population of 15,200 it is the fifth largest municipality in Vorarlberg...
, Feldkirch
Feldkirch, Vorarlberg
- Schools :* Bundesgymnasium und Bundesrealgymnasium Feldkirch * Bundeshandelsakademie und Bundeshandelsschule Feldkirch* Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium und Bundesrealgymnasium Schillerstrasse...
, Bregenz, Sonnenburg
Waldburg-Sonnenburg
Waldburg-Sonnenburg was a County located in southeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Sonnenburg, Tyrol. Waldburg-Sonnenburg was a partition of Waldburg and was annexed by the Archduchy of Austria in 1511....
etc.; Lord of Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Kotor
Kotor
Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
and the Windic March
Windic march
The Windic march or marca Vindica was a province of the Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages, corresponding more or less to modern Lower Carniola in Slovenia. In Medieval German language, the term "Windisch" was a common name for some Slavic peoples The Windic march or marca Vindica was a...
, Grand Voivod of the Voivodeship of Serbia etc. etc."
The second time he was introduced as "Dr. Otto von Habsburg" and a number of his civic achievements, notably as President of the Paneuropean Union and Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, mentioned. "Otto Habsburg-Lothringen", the name Austrian authorities use when referring to him, was not used.
The third time he was introduced as "Otto, a mortal, sinful human being!"
The Capuchin opening the gates, finally exclaiming "So he may come in", was Father Gottfried Undesser, the custodian of the Imperial Crypt. It was also Father Gottfried who opened the gates for Empress-Queen Zita in 1989. Father Gottfried (born 1933) has been a Capuchin since 1951. The Capuchins have been in charge of building and maintaining the Imperial Crypt since 1622.
This was the last time this ceremony was performed at the gates of the Capuchin Church.
Heart burial
Pannonhalma Archabbey
The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey is the most notable landmark in Pannonhalma and one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary, founded in the year 996. It is located near the town, on top of a hill...
, following a ceremony with vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
in Latin, and an ecumenical prayer. Archabbot Asztrik Varszegi, Reformed Bishop Gusztav Bolcskei, Lutheran Bishop Tamas Fabinyi, and Chief Rabbi Zsolt Markovics participated, together with around hundred members of the House of Habsburg and Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén
Zsolt Semjén
Zsolt Semjén is a Hungarian politician, currently minister without portfolio and Deputy Prime Minister in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán...
with his wife representing the Hungarian government. A silver urn containing his heart was surrounded by a wreath of flowers and leaves in the colours of the Hungarian flag—red, white and green. His sons Karl (Károly in Hungary) and Georg (György) finally carried the urn to the crypt, where it was buried under a marble slab.
Father Albin, one of the monastery's monks, said that "Hungary never expelled him personally, and he wanted to be buried in a country which still loves him."
With the burial of his heart, 12 days of commemoration and funeral ceremonies in several countries were concluded.
His heart urn lists his name and titles as:
- S.K.K.H. [His Imperial and Royal Highness]
- Otto
- Erzherzog von Österreich [Archduke of Austria]
- Königlicher Prinz von Ungarn [Prince Royal of Hungary]
Pöcking 9 July
Royalty and nobilityHouse of Habsburg – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
Gabriela von Habsburg
Gabriela von Habsburg, , also known as Archduchess Gabriela of Austria, is the Ambassador of Georgia to Germany since 2009. She is best known as the granddaughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria...
, Walburga of Austria, and others
House of Wittelsbach – Prince Luitpold of BavariaPrince Luitpold of Bavaria (b.1951)
Prince Luitpold of Bavaria is a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a CEO of König Ludwig GmbH & Co. KG Schlossbrauerei Kaltenberg.-Early life:...
, and others
Thurn und Taxis
Thurn und Taxis
The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :...
– The Princess Dowager of Thurn and Taxis
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis is a princess, by marriage, of the German Thurn und Taxis House.-Biography:Gloria was born on 23 February 1960, the daughter of Joachim, Count...
House of Esterházy – Endre and Christine Esterházy
Representatives of state
Kingdom of Bavaria – Minister of State Georg FahrenschonGeorg Fahrenschon
Georg Fahrenschon is a German politician, representative of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria. Since October 2008 he has been finance minister in the Bavarian State Ministry of Finance. He was a member of the Bundestag of Germany until 2007.He graduated with a Diplom in economics from the...
Germany – Federal Minister Ilse AignerIlse Aigner
Ilse Aigner is a German politician and member of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria .Aigner was born in Feldkirchen-Westerham, Rosenheim, Bavaria and entered Angela Merkel's grand coalition cabinet as Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection on 31 October 2008...
Munich 11 July
Royalty and nobilityHouse of Habsburg – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
Gabriela von Habsburg
Gabriela von Habsburg, , also known as Archduchess Gabriela of Austria, is the Ambassador of Georgia to Germany since 2009. She is best known as the granddaughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria...
, Walburga of Austria, and others
House of Wittelsbach – Prince Luitpold of BavariaPrince Luitpold of Bavaria (b.1951)
Prince Luitpold of Bavaria is a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a CEO of König Ludwig GmbH & Co. KG Schlossbrauerei Kaltenberg.-Early life:...
, Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria
Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria
Max-Emanuel Ludwig Maria Herzog in Bayern, sometimes styled Prince Max of Bavaria, Duke in Bavaria, born 21 January 1937 as son of Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, is the heir presumptive to both the headship of the former Bavarian Royal House and the Jacobite Succession...
, Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria
align="right"|Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria is the wife of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria, heir presumptive to both the former Bavarian Royal House and the Jacobite Succession.-Family background:...
, and others
Thurn und Taxis
Thurn und Taxis
The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :...
– The Princess Dowager of Thurn and Taxis
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis
Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis is a princess, by marriage, of the German Thurn und Taxis House.-Biography:Gloria was born on 23 February 1960, the daughter of Joachim, Count...
Representatives of state and politicians
Kingdom of Bavaria – Prime Minister Horst SeehoferHorst Seehofer
Horst Lorenz Seehofer is a German politician . He was Federal Minister for Health and Social Security from 1992 to 1998 and served as Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection in the cabinet of Angela Merkel from 2005 to 2008...
, former Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber
Edmund Stoiber
Edmund Rüdiger Stoiber is a German politician, former minister-president of the state of Bavaria and former chairman of the Christian Social Union...
Germany – Federal Minister Peter RamsauerPeter Ramsauer
Peter Ramsauer is a German politician. He is qualified as a professional miller in accordance with the traditional occupation of his ancestry while holding the degree of PhD in Management, is married and has four daughters...
, former Federal Minister Theo Waigel
Austria – Former Chancellor Wolfgang SchüsselWolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
Republic of Kosovo – Foreign Minister Enver HoxhajEnver Hoxhaj
Enver Hoxhaj is the current Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo and a Member of the Assembly of Kosovo.-Career:He was previously Minister of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Kosovo. He previously served as a professor at the University of Pristina...
Mariazell 13 July
Representatives of state– Cardinal Christoph Schönborn participated as Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's personal representative; he will also preside over the requiem in Vienna
Religious
Archbishops of central European and Balkan countries that once formed the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Vienna 16 July (requiem with subsequent procession and entombment in the Imperial Crypt)
Many dignitaries attended the funeral in Vienna on 16 July. In total, around 1,000 invited guests were present, among them many royals, nobles, heads of state and government representatives.Royalty
House of Habsburg (Imperial-Royal Family of Austria-Hungary) – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
Gabriela von Habsburg
Gabriela von Habsburg, , also known as Archduchess Gabriela of Austria, is the Ambassador of Georgia to Germany since 2009. She is best known as the granddaughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria...
, Walburga of Austria, Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, and others
Branches of the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
- House of Bourbon-ParmaHouse of Bourbon-ParmaThe House of Bourbon-Parma is an Italian cadet branch of the House of Bourbon. It is thus descended from the Capetian dynasty in male line. The name of Bourbon-Parma comes from the main name and the other from the title of Duke of Parma....
(Ducal Family of Parma) – Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, Princess Annemarie, Prince Jaime, Count of BardiPrince Jaime, Count of BardiPrince Jaime Bernardo of Bourbon-Parma, Count of Bardi, Duke of San Jaime is the second son and third child of Princess Irene of the Netherlands and late Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma, and is member of the Royal and Ducal House of Bourbon-Parma, as well of the Dutch Royal Family. The prince is heir...
House of Bourbon-ParmaHouse of Bourbon-ParmaThe House of Bourbon-Parma is an Italian cadet branch of the House of Bourbon. It is thus descended from the Capetian dynasty in male line. The name of Bourbon-Parma comes from the main name and the other from the title of Duke of Parma....
(Grand Ducal Family of LuxembourgGrand Ducal Family of LuxembourgThe Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg consists of the extended family of the sovereign Grand Duke....
) – Henri, Grand Duke of LuxembourgHenri, Grand Duke of LuxembourgHenri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
, Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of LuxembourgMaria Teresa, Grand Duchess of LuxembourgMaria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg is the spouse and Grand Duchess of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Early life and education:...
House of BourbonHouse of BourbonThe House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
(Spanish Royal FamilySpanish Royal FamilyThe Royal Family of the Kingdom of Spain consists of the current king, Juan Carlos, his spouse, Queen Sofia of Spain and their direct descendants. The Spanish royal family belongs to the House of Borbón...
) – Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca
Princely Family of LiechtensteinPrincely Family of Liechtenstein
The Liechtenstein dynasty, from which the principality takes its name, is the family which reigns by constitutional, hereditary right over the nation of Liechtenstein...
– Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Hans-Adam II , is the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He is the son of Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife Countess Georgina von Wilczek . He also bears the titles Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf, Count of Rietberg...
, Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein
Marie, Princess of Liechtenstein
Marie Aglaë, Princess of Liechtenstein is the wife and cousin of Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein...
House of Bernadotte (Swedish Royal FamilySwedish Royal Family
The Swedish Royal Family since 1818 consists of a number of persons in the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. They are entitled to royal titles and style , and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state...
) – King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden
Queen Silvia of Sweden
|align=right|Queen Silvia of Sweden is the Queen consort of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Styled Her Majesty The Queen, Silvia is the mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria.-Childhood:Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943...
Branches of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
- House of HohenzollernHouse of HohenzollernThe House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
(Prussian Royal Family) – Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia
- House of Hohenzollern-SigmaringenHohenzollern-Sigmaringen-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
(Romanian Royal Family) – King Michael of Romania
Branches of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
House of Saxe-Coburg and GothaHouse of Saxe-Coburg and GothaThe House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
(Belgian Royal Family) – Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (by marriage a member of the Austria-EsteAustria-EsteArchduke of Austria-Este and Habsburg-Este are a title and a surname which have been used by several cadet branches of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine to denote a connection with the extinct Italian princely and feudal family of Este and the Duchy of Modena ruled by them...
branch of the House of Habsburg)
- House of Saxe-Coburg and GothaHouse of Saxe-Coburg and GothaThe House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
(Bulgarian Royal Family) – Tsar Simeon II of BulgariaSimeon Saxe-Coburg-GothaSimeon Borisov of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Tsar Simeon II or Simeon II of Bulgaria is an important political and royal figure in Bulgaria...
, former prime minister
House of WindsorHouse of WindsorThe House of Windsor is the royal house of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on the 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of his family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom...
(British Royal FamilyBritish Royal FamilyThe British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
) – Prince Michael of KentPrince Michael of KentPrince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, making him a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the first cousin once removed of Prince Phillip. Prince Michael occasionally carries out royal duties representing the Queen at some functions in Commonwealth realms outside...
and Marie Christine, Princess Michael of KentPrincess Michael of KentPrincess Michael of Kent is an Austrian-Hungarian member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V....
.
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
– Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, formerly Crown Prince of Italy is the only son of the Umberto II, the last King of Italy. He is commonly known in Italy as Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia...
House of Baden – Maximilian, Margrave of Baden
Maximilian, Margrave of Baden
Maximilian, Margrave of Baden , is the son of Berthold, Margrave of Baden and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark...
, Valerie, Margravine of Baden (by birth a member of the House of Habsburg)
House of Wittelsbach – Prince Leopold of BavariaPrince Leopold of Bavaria (b. 1943)
Prince Leopold of Bavaria is a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a former champion race car driver.-Early life & racing career:...
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
– Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza
Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza
Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza , is the 24th Duke of Braganza and a pretender to the throne of Portugal.-Birth and education:...
Solomonic dynasty
The Solomonic dynasty is the Imperial House of Abyssinia. Its members claim lineal descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the latter of whom tradition asserts gave birth to the first King Menelik I after her Biblically described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem .-Overview:The dynasty, a...
(Imperial Family of Ethiopia) – Lij (Prince) Asfa-Wossen Asserate
Asfa-Wossen Asserate
Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate , is a management consultant and an author writing in German, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty, the deposed royal family of Ethiopia...
Royal Family of JordanJordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
– Prince Hassan bin Talal, Princess Sarvath El Hassan
House of Petrović-Njegoš
House of Petrovic-Njegoš
The House of Petrović-Njegoš was the Royal House of Montenegro from 1696 to 1918. Montenegro had enjoyed de facto independence from the Ottoman Empire from 1711 but only received formal international recognition as an independent principality in 1878.Montenegro was ruled from inception by...
– Crown Prince Nicholas II of Montenegro
Representatives of state (in order of precedence)
– Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
appointed Cardinal Christoph Schönborn as his personal representative to the funeral celebrations. Schönborn presided over the requiem in Vienna, as Archbishop of Vienna.
Matthew Festing
-Titles and style:The full title of Fra' Matthew is: His Most Eminent Highness Fra' Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St...
Austria – President Heinz FischerHeinz Fischer
Heinz Fischer GColIH is the President of Austria. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria...
and wife Margit Fischer
Margit Fischer
Margit Fischer is the wife of Heinz Fischer, the federal president of Austria.Her parents, Otto and Anna Binder, were social democrats and Jews and had to emigrate to Sweden during the Nazi regime. Mrs Fischer speaks Swedish fluently. In 1949, her family returned to Austria...
, Chancellor Werner Faymann
Werner Faymann
Werner Faymann is Chancellor of Austria and chairman of the Social Democratic Party SPÖ .-Background and earlier career:Born in Vienna, Austria, he studied law at the University of Vienna for two years but did not graduate....
and most of the Austrian cabinet and governors, and other representatives of state.
Hungary – President Pál SchmittPál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010....
Georgia (country) – President Mikheil SaakashviliMikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
.
Republic of Macedonia – Prime Minister Nikola GruevskiNikola Gruevski
Nikola Gruevski has been Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia since 27 August 2006. He has led VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.- Personal life :...
Independent State of Croatia – Prime Minister Jadranka KosorJadranka Kosor
Jadranka Kosor is a Croatian politician and former journalist. She is the current Prime Minister of Croatia, having taken office on July 6, 2009, following the sudden resignation of her predecessor Ivo Sanader. She is Croatia's first female Prime Minister since independence.-Early life:Jadranka...
Czech Republic – Foreign Minister Karel SchwarzenbergKarel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg or Karel, Prince of Schwarzenberg , 7...
.
Kingdom of Bavaria – Representatives of the government of BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
are expected.
Other
European Union – Jerzy BuzekJerzy Buzek
Jerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
, Hans-Gert Pöttering
Hans-Gert Pöttering
Hans-Gert Pöttering is a German conservative politician , and was the President of the European Parliament from January 2007 to July 2009...
, Alejo Vidal-Quadras.
Religious
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić of Bosnia-Herzegovina Kingdom of Bavaria – Former Chief Rabbi Steven Langnas of MunichBudapest 17 July
RoyaltyHouse of Habsburg – Karl of Austria, Georg of Austria, Andrea of Austria, Monika of Austria, Michaela of Austria, Gabriela of Austria
Gabriela von Habsburg
Gabriela von Habsburg, , also known as Archduchess Gabriela of Austria, is the Ambassador of Georgia to Germany since 2009. She is best known as the granddaughter of Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria...
, Walburga of Austria, and others
Representatives of state
Hungary – President Pál SchmittPál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010....
, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán
Viktor Orbán
Viktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén
Zsolt Semjén
Zsolt Semjén is a Hungarian politician, currently minister without portfolio and Deputy Prime Minister in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán...
, and others
Members of the Diplomatic Corps and the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
Media coverage
Around 300 journalists from Europe, America and Japan were accredited to cover the funeral in Vienna.Television broadcasts
– The requiem in the Munich Theatine Church on 11 July was broadcast live by Bayerischer RundfunkBayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
(BR).
– ORFORF
ORF may refer to:* ORF , the Austrian public service broadcaster.* Open reading frame, a portion of the genome.* The IATA airport code for Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk, Virginia.* ORF format , Olympus raw image file format....
broadcast live for six hours from the Vienna funeral on 16 July. Before the live broadcast, ORF sent documentaries related to the Imperial-Royal Family.
On average, the 6-hour live broadcast was watched by 413,000 people in Austria, reaching 557,000 at the most.
External links
- Official programme
- Photographs of the funeral commemorations published by the House of Habsburg
- Die Kapuzinergruft. Ruhestätte des Hauses Habsburg – Archdiocese of Vienna
- H.I.R.H. Archduke Otto von Habsburg: Funeral Mass At St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria – The Royal Correspondent
Video
- BR broadcast – Requiem in the Theatine Church, Munich
- ORF broadcast – Vienna funeral part 1, part 2
- Dramatized version of the entombment admission ceremony
- Empress-Queen Zita's funeral in 1989
- Requiem for Otto von Habsburg, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna – Salve regina
- Requiem for Otto von Habsburg, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna – God Save Our Emperor
- Message from Pope Benedict XVI, read by the papal nuncio Archbishop Peter Zurbriggen
- Selected clips from Austrian Television