Wiener Zeitung

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The Official Newspaper of the Austrian Government

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The Svalbard Crisis

Austro-Hungarian Delegation Entering Stockholm

Shortly after the sighing of the Treaty of Hannover between Austria-Hungary and the German Empire, which would let the two allies to create a base in Svalbard, got international scrutiny from the United States and the United Kingdom. Quickly, a group of 4 delegations (one from Austria-Hungary, a second from Germany, a third from Sweden, and a fourth, observer delegation from the United Kingdom) were sent to Stockholm to settle the matters. Soon enough, a telegram from the Russian Mission in Vienna was sent to the Foreign Affairs Office as a request to send their own delegation. It was soon accepted, and a Russian observer delegation has been sent to Stockholm. We have yet to see any reports that the "crisis" has ended.

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The Future of Polar Exploration

Julius von Payer circa 1865

After weeks of discussion the Svalbard Crisis has come to an end. German, Austro-Hungarian, and Swedish diplomats agreed to the 5-point plan that is the Treaty of Stockholm. Germany and Austria-Hungary are to get limited whaling, fishing, and mining rights and can establish a base on Svalbard. Along the journey from Trieste to Vienna the delegation were met with crowds from small villages to big cities alike. The biggest were in Vienna, where a parade lasted the entire day.

With the new rights in the Arctic Austria-Hungary has also expanded their interests in the exploration of the poles. recently Austria-Hungary announced the creation of the Ministry of Polar Exploration with Arctic explorer Julius von Payer as head minister. It is officially a sub-committee in the Chamber of Commerce. Although the Ministry controls the Austro-Hungarian share of the Svalbard base. Two new ships have been commissioned by the government, which shall belong to the Ministry of Polar Exploration. The two ships' names have been revealed as the SMS Ferdinand and the SMS Innsbruck.

Plans have also come to light of claiming 6 unclaimed and uninhabited islands in the vicinity of the Antarctic. Two naval units will hop from island to island and conduct surveys, and claim the land for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

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The Austria-Hungary of the Future

The Budapest Underground in 1896

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Technology is rapidly changing. The Europe of 10, 20 years from now will be a world of wonder. New technology will revolutionize everyday life. The United Kingdom, Sweden-Norway, the German Empire, the Russian Empire, and us, the Austro-Hungarians are all trying to get to the next revolutionary technology. The best of the best in Austria-Hungary have been put to work to create submarines and to find out how to use chemical gas in weapons.

In order to support such endeavors the government must strengthen industry. Money has flooded into investing the automotive industry. It is predicted that these machines will be used by the common man in the following decades.

The government has also expanded into their Antarctic endeavors. Plans have officially established, that the SMS Ferdinand once finished, shall be outfitted into an expedition ship to be sent to investigate the Antarctic. The official route has been released with the following stops: Pula, Trieste, Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Port Stanley. Lieutenant Julius von Payer, Chairman of the Ministry of Polar Exploration said in a press conference in Budapest that "We, Austro-Hungarians have the duty, along with others around the world, to investigate the polar regions. We must further scientific, knowledge after all."