The dissolution of the century old and multinational Habsburg empire (Austria- Hungary) at the end of the First World War and the role played by Italy have been amply discussed by the Historiography. The allegation of the Italian treason immediately made by the ex allies, now enemies, is today considered a myth, or a great exaggeration at least, by the German speaking historians as well. Moreover Historiography has recently completely reversed its judgment, one time positive, extremely negative now, on Field Marschal Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf one of the main culprits of the outbreak of the war. He was Italy’s implacable enemy. On the contrary many historians present now a favorable picture of the last Austrian emperor Charles I and not only in the wake of his beatification process such as the Austrian Elisabeth Kovács. After the First World War Charles was blamed for weakness, irresoluteness, not coming up to his role and being completely dominated by his wife. Moreover the paramount role played by Italy in the undermining of Austria-Hungary and in its defeat is acknowledged. However it is underlined that the fate of the empire was already sealed before the final defeat at Vittorio Veneto, whose meaning was exaggerated by the Italian nationalism, because of the hunger, the high war casualties, the conflict among its many nationalities and above all the final decision of the Western powers led by the United States to dissolve it.
La dissoluzione del plurisecolare e multinazionale Impero asburgico, l’Austria-Ungheria, e il ruolo giocato dall'Italia sono stati tra gli argomenti più dibattuti dalla storiografia. L’accusa di tradimento italiano, subito fatto dagli ex alleati divenuti nemici, è ora considerato un mito o quantomeno una grande esagerazione anche dalla storiografia di lingua tedesca. Essa ha inoltre recentemente completamente ribaltato il giudizio, prima positivo ora estremamente negativo, su colui che era stato uno dei principali responsabili dello scoppio della guerra e nemico implacabile dell’Italia: il capo di Stato maggiore austriaco feldmaresciallo Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf. Viceversa, la maggior parte degli storici, e non solo sulla scia del processo che lo ha portato alla beatificazione, come nel caso della storica austriaca Elisabeth Kovács, traccia un quadro favorevole dell’ultimo imperatore austriaco Carlo I. Egli fu accusato dopo la guerra di essere stato debole, indeciso, non all’altezza del suo ruolo e completamente dominato dalla moglie. Si riconosce inoltre il ruolo fondamentale svolto dall’Italia per il logoramento e quindi per la sconfitta dell’Austria-Ungheria. Tuttavia si sottolinea come la sorte dell’Impero fosse già segnata – prima della sconfitta finale di Vittorio Veneto, il cui significato fu esagerato dal nazionalismo italiano – a causa della fame, dei contrasti tra le varie etnie che lo componevano e, soprattutto, della decisione finale delle potenze occidentali guidate dagli Stati Uniti di dissolverlo
La fine dell'Austria-Ungheria, la Prima Guerra Mondiale e il ruolo dell'Italia alla luce della storiografia più recente
Scarano F.
2018
Abstract
The dissolution of the century old and multinational Habsburg empire (Austria- Hungary) at the end of the First World War and the role played by Italy have been amply discussed by the Historiography. The allegation of the Italian treason immediately made by the ex allies, now enemies, is today considered a myth, or a great exaggeration at least, by the German speaking historians as well. Moreover Historiography has recently completely reversed its judgment, one time positive, extremely negative now, on Field Marschal Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf one of the main culprits of the outbreak of the war. He was Italy’s implacable enemy. On the contrary many historians present now a favorable picture of the last Austrian emperor Charles I and not only in the wake of his beatification process such as the Austrian Elisabeth Kovács. After the First World War Charles was blamed for weakness, irresoluteness, not coming up to his role and being completely dominated by his wife. Moreover the paramount role played by Italy in the undermining of Austria-Hungary and in its defeat is acknowledged. However it is underlined that the fate of the empire was already sealed before the final defeat at Vittorio Veneto, whose meaning was exaggerated by the Italian nationalism, because of the hunger, the high war casualties, the conflict among its many nationalities and above all the final decision of the Western powers led by the United States to dissolve it.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
