What if… Archduke Franz Ferdinand Was Never Assassinated?

A Culture Pipeline

History Date: June 28, 1914

How It Likely Wouldn’t Have Happened

On June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, ignited the July Crisis, ultimately leading to the outbreak of World War I. But what if that fateful day had unfolded differently? If Ferdinand had survived, the trajectory of European empires, alliances, and the map of the 20th century could have looked radically different.

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Things That Would Disappear

The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, Russian and German empires

A short description of the benefit.

No 1919 Treaty of Versailles

The rise Nazi regime might never happen

Germany’s grievances and humiliation after WWI

The current map of Europe

A short description of the benefit.

The Cultural Ripple Effect

The “Lost Generation” of poets and artists might not have emerged, leading to a lack of works that explored themes of alienation and existentialism. Movements like Dadaism and Surrealism may not have gained traction, and society could have focused on optimism rather than disillusionment. Overall, this absence would have transformed literature, art, and broader social currents.

Sources:

https://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2024/3/19/what-if-archduke-franz-ferdinand-of-austria-had-not-been-assassinated

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/world-history/the-assassination-franz-ferdinand

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Archduke_Franz_Ferdinandhttps://www.theworldwar.org/learn/about-wwi/june-28-1914