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Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Karl declines to sign armistice

 
November 5, 1918

Emperor Karl of Austria will not sign the armistice "offered by the Allies" because he found the conditions to be "so harsh" and "considered them so dishonorable," reports the New York Times from Copenhagen.  The report is based on a Vienna dispatch to the Berlin Tageblatt.

According to the original dispatch, Karl also declared that he "no longer wished to exercise his authority" as the Supreme Commander of the Army.  But the report denies "rumors" that Karl had abdicated and was leaving for Switzerland.

Another report, this time from Amsterdam, states that Emperor has handed over the "supreme command" of the Austro-Hungarian Army to Field Marshall Koevess.  The transfer took place on November 2.

Embed from Getty Images 

Reports from Vienna to Berlin state that last Saturday the Castle Guard "mutinied and rushed to the fates of the castle," shouting "We don't want an Emperor."   Austrian officers were able to persuade some of the guards to return to their posts, but others "disappeared."

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