SHN Lecture: Treasonous Subversion – The Struggle For Domestic Security In Austria-Hungary

treasonous subversion: the struggle for domestic security in austria-hungary

Why was treason such a preoccupation for the rulers of Austria-Hungary — even in times of peace?

Join SHN’s next lecture by em. prof. Mark Cornwall: “ ‘Treasonous Subversion’: The Struggle for Domestic Security In Austria-Hungary” which explores how the Habsburg Empire wielded treason laws as a central tool for maintaining domestic security from the 1848 revolutions through the eve of World War I. Archduke Franz Ferdinand — later assassinated in Sarajevo — often spoke of “treasonous subversion” when describing internal political threats. But this wasn’t just wartime rhetoric.

Drawing on official crime statistics and vivid case studies from Vienna, Prague, and Zagreb, this lecture delves into how the regime identified, prosecuted, and pre-empted political dissent. It reveals a state that not only feared rebellion, but also shaped its legal systems — rooted in the neo-absolutist 1850s — to proactively suppress perceived threats. The result? High-profile treason trials, targeted repression, and legal strategies that challenged the very ideals of a constitutional “Rechtsstaat”.

This lecture offers a unique lens on how the empire sought to secure its fragile unity — at the risk of alienating its own citizens.

Mark Cornwall is Emeritus Professor of Modern European History at the University of Southampton.

More about this event

The lecture will be held on the 8th of May at the Drift 25, room 002, Utrecht. Walk-in will be from 16:45-17:00, the lecture will be from 17:00-18:15. There will be free drinks afterwards at Café Hofman!