In the 19th century, the population of Vienna grew from 300,000 people to more than 2 million and it became the sixth largest city in the world, capital of an empire of 53 million and a centre for the arts, scientific ideas, and political theorising. We will look at the significance of the Congress of Vienna for the city, the revolution in 1848 and its effects, the diversion of the Danube and the development of the Ringstrasse, and the massive migration to the city as a result of large-scale industrialisation. We will also look at some of the personalities who lived in the city, like Johann Strauss the younger, Sigmund Freud, Theodor Herzl, Adolf Hitler and Leon Trotsky, and how music and art changed over this period. Finally, we'll see how the assassination of Archduke Franz Josef, the heir to throne, was received in Vienna - an event that led to the First World War and the destruction of the empire.
Course aim
A look at Vienna during the 19th century, including the Congress of 1814-15, the 1848 Revolution, the Ringstrasse development, Johann Strauss and the waltz, the Mayerling affair, and some of the various personalities who chose to live in the city.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Describe some of the successes and failures of the Congress of Vienna
What else do I need to know?
You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our learning platform, Canvas, and access a Zoom presentation. If you’d like to understand more about Zoom please visit: http://bit.ly/ZoomSpec
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