A poignant visit to Austria's Bad Ischl, where WWI was declared

The Kaiservilla was where in the Austrian Emperor in 1914 declared war on Serbia, thus starting World War I.

On this day, 110 years ago, the small town of Bad Ischl made its mark in history as the venue for Austria declaring war on Serbia in what eventually led to World War I (“the great seminal catastrophe of the 20th century” – George F. Kennan).

A month earlier, Emperor (or Kaiser) Franz Joseph’s nephew and heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie, were assassinated while on a state visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia.

The devastating news was delivered to the Habsburg emperor while he was holidaying at Kaiservilla, the royal family’s summer residence located in Bad Ischl.

While he briefly returned to the capital Vienna to brief his government ministers, he left the decision-making to them and returned to Bad Ischl to continue enjoying the summer weather, the magnificent forested hunting grounds of the Kaiservilla, and the health-giving qualities of the spa waters of the town (bad is the German word for spa).

In the ensuing weeks, the Austro-Hungarian government drew up a list of demands that they knew Serbia would be unable to fulfil, thus giving them the legal right to declare war.

These demands were delivered on July 23, and – as expected – the Serbian reply was deemed unsatisfactory. So, on July 28, 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Emperor signed the declaration of war from his official work desk in the Kaiservilla.

My recollection of high school history is rudimentary at best, so I was delighted to be reminded of all this recently when I stood before the very desk where the declaration was signed, an event that ultimately led to war, and its tragic loss of life.

Enjoy the forested grounds of the Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl.

Bad Ischl then

This simple act meant that through the strategic alliances that existed back then, many other European powers (but especially Germany, Russia, France and Britain) soon took up arms in support of their various alliance partners.

This declaration was also significant for British colonies such as Malaya because most outposts of the British Empire did what was requested of them by Britain and sent tens of thousands of their nationals into battle.

After signing the declaration, the emperor returned to Vienna, and history notes that he never revisited Kaiservilla as he died in November 1916. Two years later, World War I ended, and the power of the Habsburg monarchy ceased with the breaking of their empire.

While walking through the beautifully landscaped gardens of the Kaiservilla, I reflected on the tranquil setting and how such a peaceful venue contributed to such devastation, destruction, and the ultimate fall of a powerful empire.

Of course, Bad Ischl was known in Europe well before 1914, as it had developed into one of the great European spa capitals after the saline water from nearby springs had been identified by health experts for its curative qualities.

Located on the Traun River in the centre of the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria, Bad Ischl’s history predates its spa facilities, as the region is famous for salt, which has been mined here for many centuries (salz is salt in German).

Bad Ischl has been a market town since the Middle Ages and salt has been sourced from the Salzkammergut area for thousands of years, with this “white gold”, shaping the region over the centuries.

In the early 19th century, the curative powers of mineral-rich spa water appealed to wealthy Europeans who began visiting the town to relax in the warm springs.

This especially appealed to the ruling Habsburg family, and it is said that Franz Joseph’s mother, Sophie, was also drawn to the region. This was because after many years of failing to produce children, Sophie believed the healing properties of the saline-rich water could in some way help her to conceive.

And, indeed it did with Sophie having four sons (Franz Joseph was the oldest) who became known as the “salt princes”.

Enjoy the tantalising selection of cakes at Café Zauner.

The town’s first hotel was built, and once the emperor established his summer residence here (a gift from Sophie), the well-to-do from around Europe, especially from Vienna, also established grand villas in the area in order for them to stay politically connected with the nation’s ruling family.

European nobility, artists, Viennese high society, and musicians were also attracted to the town. Theatres, concert halls, restaurants and stylish bars soon followed to cater to the every need of the wealthy. Visitors can inspect composer Franz Lehár’s villa to admire how the well-connected lived during the era.

Konditorei Zauner first opened in 1832 and soon became renowned for its enticing cakes, excellent coffee and other premium beverages served in luxurious surroundings.

These people mostly arrived via steam train, and visitors can now hop on board from Vienna Airport to Bad Ischl with a change of train at Attnang-Puchheim. Around the middle of August each year, railway enthusiasts operate a special steam train service that recreates the 1890s when the railway arrived in Bad Ischl.

Bad Ischl now

Family members of the Habsburgs still live in the Kaiservilla and can often be seen in the imperial house, which is open to the public for visits.

Although the Kaiservilla is an official residence, it never belonged to the state and was inherited by Marie Valerie, the youngest of Franz Joseph’s four children. Marie Valerie married her cousin Franz Salvator, from the line of the Habsburg Dukes of Tuscany, and the Kaiservilla remains in Habsburg ownership by those with a direct line of descent from Franz Joseph and Elisabeth.

The Kaiservilla survived the two great world wars undamaged and today is largely in its original condition. Visitors get a sense of the importance of the house as soon as they enter it from the impressively landscaped gardens.

Throughout 2024, the Kaiservilla is taking centre stage in Bad Ischl, which is one of this year’s European Capitals Of Culture (Bodø in Norway and Tartu in Estonia make up the cultural trifecta).

Projects for the ECOC include an exhibition at the Kaiservilla by celebrated Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, which explores the tradition of the region, its history and culture.

Several exciting works by Ai Weiwei will resonate with Malaysian visitors, especially his 2014 piece, With Wind, which is a full-scale dragon not unlike the ones that “appear” during Chinese festive seasons.

Being the controversial artist that he is, the dragon’s scales depict 30 countries where civil rights are currently restricted, while others contain quotes from political activists, including the artist himself (one of his quotes is, “each of us is a potential prisoner”).

Other exhibitions around Bad Ischl deal with art looted by the Nazis, who stashed stolen art treasures in a mountain tunnel nearby during World War II.

The Salzkammergut region developed because of salt, it became rich from salt, and it is salt that will be one of the continuing contributors to the region’s future. With the success of the ECOC, culture will play an increasing role in the popularity of the city and the region as an essential tourist destination for visitors to Austria.

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Travel notes

Getting there: There are no direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Vienna, Austria so visitors have no choice but to transit on the way. Austrian Airlines has a service that transits in Bangkok, Thailand. Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines codeshares with Qatar Airways (transits in Doha), British Airways (London) and Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) for flights from KL to Vienna.

Once you get to Vienna, you would need to take a train to get to Bad Ischl. Some trains operated by OBB depart directly from Vienna International Airport for Bad Ischl, with a change of train required at Attnang-Puchheim. The journey takes under four hours. Other options would be bus tours and river cruises.

Where to stay: Villa Seilern includes a classic 1881 villa and an adjoining hotel wing with deluxe rooms and a lavish spa. The just-opened 1881 A La Carte Restaurant serves classic Austrian dishes with a contemporary twist, complemented by an enticing wine list featuring some impressive Austrian labels.

More information: Bad Ischl Tourism (badischl.at), Austria National Tourist Office (austriatourism.com), Upper Austria Tourism (upperaustria.com), and Visit Salzkammergut European Capital Of Culture (salzkammergut.com)

Bad Ischl is surrounded by picturesque lakes and magical towns such as Hallstatt. — Photos: DAVID BOWDEN