Ileana appeals to women to support new Austrian government

March 10, 1934

Archduchess Ileana of Austria today addressed 3000 people "in a beer hall" near Mödling, Austria.  She appealed to "the women of Austria" to support the Heimwehr government," reports the New York Times from Vienna.

"We have able leaders now, and we can envisage the future with confidence that our children will know happier days than we have known," she declared.

Ileana, who was born a Princess of Romania, spoke flawless German.  She showed evidence "of the courage, initiative and rhetorical abilities" of her mother, the Dowager Queen Marie of Romania. 

She is the first member of the Habsburg family to provide public support to the present government.  Her husband, Archduke Anton, and Vice Chancellor Emil Fey, were in the audience, "who joined in the applause that punctuated her address."

Speaking on the difficult time Austria had "recently gone through,"  Ileana stated "We now know God was with us.  Austria won."

She spoke about the need for peace and reconstruction.  She asserted that the women of Austria could do "more than any others to bring this peace."  She implored on them to join her to work "with all our hearts, all our love and all our energies for Austria."