Leopold Berchtold von und zu Ungarschitz Fratting und Pullitz

April 18, 1863 (age 79)

Vienna, Austra

Berchtold served with the diplomatic corps after 1894 and became ambassador to St. Petersburg where for five years he experienced Russia's distrust and fear of Vienna. Although lacking experience in domestic affairs as well as in military matters, Berchtold was appointed foreign minister on February 19, 1912 against his will and better judgment. He was well-liked at court and possessed all the social graces required at the Hofburg; strength of character was unfortunately not one of his assets. This quickly became apparent during the three Balkan wars in 1912-13. Berchtold constantly adopted a hard line, only to draw back from intervention at the last moment. As a result, the prestige of Austria-Hungary declined precipitously and Berchtold gained the reputation of a weak and indecisive statesman. All this changed in the wake of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand at Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. Berchtold seized this opportunity in order to deal Serbia a mortal blow and thereby "solve" the South Slav question by force. It was only through the moderating influence of Count Istvan Tisza of Hungary that the Council of Ministers decided on July 7, 1914, to present Serbia with an ultimatum, which was transmitted to Belgrade on July 23 and amounted to a humiliation for Serbia. Nonetheless, Serbia accepted all points of the ultimatum save the one allowing Austria-Hungary to send officials to take an active part in the investigation of the assassination on Serbian soil. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia. Berchtold was unable to master the question of Italy's participation in the war. When Rome presented the Ballplatz with demands for territorial compensations in order to encourage it to honor Italy's signature on the Tripartite Pact, Berchtold felt unable to offer any Habsburg possessions, especially not in the Trentino. But when Italian Foreign Minister Sydney Sonnino managed to wring faint promises of compensations in South Tyrol from some German leaders, and when Berchtold informed Tisza as well as General Conrad von Hotzendorf, chief of the General Staff, that he might accede to possible German pressures in this direction, his days as foreign minister were numbered. On January 13, 1915, Berchtold resigned his post at the urgings of Tisza and Conrad and was replaced by Count Istvan Burian. Berchtold retired as a grand seigneur on his estate at Peresznye/Csepreg in Hungary, where he died on November 21,1942.

Leopold Berchtold von und zu Ungarschitz Fratting und Pullitz

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government official

Background

Leopold Berchtold was born in Vienna on April 18, 1863, the son of a wealthy estate owner in Moravia and Hungary.

Career

Berchtold served with the diplomatic corps after 1894 and became ambassador to St. Petersburg where for five years he experienced Russia's distrust and fear of Vienna. Although lacking experience in domestic affairs as well as in military matters, Berchtold was appointed foreign minister on February 19, 1912 against his will and better judgment. He was well-liked at court and possessed all the social graces required at the Hofburg; strength of character was unfortunately not one of his assets. This quickly became apparent during the three Balkan wars in 1912-13. Berchtold constantly adopted a hard line, only to draw back from intervention at the last moment. As a result, the prestige of Austria-Hungary declined precipitously and Berchtold gained the reputation of a weak and indecisive statesman.

All this changed in the wake of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand at Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. Berchtold seized this opportunity in order to deal Serbia a mortal blow and thereby "solve" the South Slav question by force. It was only through the moderating influence of Count Istvan Tisza of Hungary that the Council of Ministers decided on July 7, 1914, to present Serbia with an ultimatum, which was transmitted to Belgrade on July 23 and amounted to a humiliation for Serbia. Nonetheless, Serbia accepted all points of the ultimatum save the one allowing Austria-Hungary to send officials to take an active part in the investigation of the assassination on Serbian soil. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia.

Berchtold was unable to master the question of Italy's participation in the war. When Rome presented the Ballplatz with demands for territorial compensations in order to encourage it to honor Italy's signature on the Tripartite Pact, Berchtold felt unable to offer any Habsburg possessions, especially not in the Trentino. But when Italian Foreign Minister Sydney Sonnino managed to wring faint promises of compensations in South Tyrol from some German leaders, and when Berchtold informed Tisza as well as General Conrad von Hotzendorf, chief of the General Staff, that he might accede to possible German pressures in this direction, his days as foreign minister were numbered. On January 13, 1915, Berchtold resigned his post at the urgings of Tisza and Conrad and was replaced by Count Istvan Burian. Berchtold retired as a grand seigneur on his estate at Peresznye/Csepreg in Hungary, where he died on November 21,1942.

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