Many non-Austrian citizens of the Dual Monarchy, however, were ambivalent or melancholy about its demise. One quote by Hungarian Sándor Márai seemed to capture the spirit of many: “My homeland, [says a guest in his novel Embers] no longer exists. My homeland was Poland, Vienna, this house, the barracks in the city, Galicia, and Chopin. What’s left? Whatever mysterious substance held it all together no longer works. Everything’s come apart. My homeland was a feeling, and that feeling was mortally wounded. When that happens, the only thing to do is go away.”
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Source: The ethnic groups of Austria-Hungary in 1910 is based on "Distribution of Races in Austria-Hungary" from the Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1911. (The city names were changed to those in use since 1945.)
This article captures a significant historical sentiment that many non-Austrian citizens felt. This is important because the Austro-Hungarian empire included many cultures, ethnicities, and languages. Therefore, when the Austro-Hungarian empire collapsed, it ended diversity for many individuals. Through his writing, Marai sensed the belonging that the empire provided. The fall of the Austria-Hungarian empire was not a political event but an end to cultural and emotional benefits that were a boon to the empire. According to Marai, citizens had a sense of a homeland with cultural landmarks spread across nations. One has to study the Austrian-Hungarian Empire's political and cultural upheavals to understand the early part of 20th-century Europe. The European map was reshaped with new nation-states where social dynamics and political idealism led to an influx of tensions leading up to World War 2. Therefore, this article relates to national identity, including personal and collective identities, multiculturalism, and political changes and their impact.
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