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DOWNFALL OF AN EMPIRE
THE END OF THE HABSBURG MONARCHY

Steven Beller: “Never has an irrelevant empire been more relevant!”

This documentary looks at the last period of rule of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and its path to decline and thus to the European catastrophe.

Military conflicts and the resulting loss of power within Europe caused the Danube Empire to shrink continuously in the 19th century. Surrounded by great powers, the multi-ethnic state is struggling for its identity.

Socio-political upheavals and conflicts within the empire put additional pressure on the court. Large cities grew into metropolises and flourished in science, art and literature while misery spread in secret. A toxic mixture of oppression, ignorance and social abysses was created during this awakening in Vienna, which turned into a laboratory of moderation. The race at the time of industrialization created a deceptive mood on the continent.

The empires staggered sleepwalking (as a result) in a world war, the European catastrophe whose traces are still having an effect today.

Produced in cooperation with ORF III and RAI Südtirol
Running Time:
45 min.
Original Language: German
Locations: Vienna, Austria
Shooting Period: 2022
Completion: October 2021
Shooting Format: 4K

CREW
Script & Direction:Bernhard Riener
Camera & Editing:Jonathan Vaughan
2nd CameraMaximilian Kiss
Marco Telfser
LightIstvan Pajor
Voice:Silvana Veit
Matthias Hofer
Voice RecordingLovison Audio Production
Music:Michael Klement feat. Minky Oberwinkl
Sound:Klement Media
Jonathan Andel
Animation:Roman Hansi
Katharina Hofmann
Grading:Franco Avi
Line Producer:Alina Parigger
PA:Tobias Gstaltner
MakeUpMonika Krestan
Hannelore Uhrmacher
Producers:Bernhard Riener
Jonathan Vaughan
Co-Producer:Norman Vaughan
Set PhotographyAttila Izmir
Cast:Alexander Balak
Flora Divjak
Victoria Schwabl
Heinz Klinger
Karin Klement
Mike Klement
Paul Krenn
Günther Markovitsch
Hypatia Kiss
Rita Führlinger
Claudia Hörl
Amanda Reiter
Margarete Somboratz
Verena Schiefer
Nadine Trofimova
Julia Christina Widner
Ivo Gastberg
Meinrad Nell
Christian Strobl
Ronald P. Vaughan
Alina Parigger
Minky Oberwinkl
INTERVIEW PARTNERS:
Mariliese Mendel:Historian, ÖGB
Daniela Angetter-PfeifferHistorian, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Katrin UnterrainerHistorian
Börries KuzmanyHistorian, University Vienna
Ludwig Adamovich Jr.Retired President of the Austrian Constitutional Court
Erik KroiherHistorian
Hannes LeidingerHistorian, University Vienna
Martin MutschlechnerHistorian
Tamara ScheerHistorian, University Vienna
Werner TeleskoHistorian, Austrian Academy of Sciences
A co-production of:portal filmproduktion OG
NormanVaughan Filmproduktion e.U.
ORF III Kultur und Information
RAI Südtirol
Special Thanks toRaoul Kneucker
Michaela Kobinia
Brigitte Kolin
Barbara Parigger
Roswitha Vaughan