AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 



453 



women have not adopted the Mohammedan custom 

 of veiling the face, although it is strictly observed 

 in other parts of the country. 



AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 



THE dual monarchy has for the ethnologist no mean- 

 ing whatever. It is merely a political expression. 

 The population, returned in 1896 at 41,058,000 

 (excluding the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina), con- 

 sists of a great variety of races, having nothing in 

 common except their allegiance to Francis Joseph in 

 his dual capacity of Emperor of Austria and King 

 of Hungary. Thus there are 18,764,000 Slavs, 

 including the Chekhs and Slovaks of Bohemia, 

 Moravia, and Hungary, the Poles and Rutheniaus of 

 Silesia and Galicia, the Slovenes, Serbs, and Croats 

 of Slavonia, Bukovina, Croatia, and Dalmatia. There 

 are also 8,628,000 Germans, 7,435,000 Magyars, 

 2,615,000 Rumanians, and 681,000 Italians. 



It will be readily understood that, from the point 

 of view of race, it is out of the question to speak of 

 either an Austrian nation or an Austrian language. 

 The characteristics of some of the peoples which 

 make up this political tower of Babel are dealt with 

 elsewhere. Space will allow of only a very brief 

 survey of the leading features of the rest. 



AUSTRIA. 



Under this heading come most of the races just 

 enumerated, Hungary comprising chiefly Magyars, 

 Germans, Rumanians, Croats, and other Slavs. The 

 Austrian of Vienna is of Teutonic stock, and German 

 is the official language. The people of the capital 

 are characterised by levity, and love of gaiety may 

 be said to be the prevailing note. Their indolence 

 and lack of energy may be attributed partly to the 

 enervating life of a great city and partly to Oriental 

 influences. The women are celebrated for vivacity 

 and brightness of disposition, and physical beauty 

 and womanly grace are present in all classes. It 

 is notably among the working classes that their good 

 qualities are apparent. A devoted and capable wife is 

 generally found under the roof of the Austrian workman. 



The Chekhs, who belong to the Slav family of nations, may be reckoned among its finest 

 specimens, and are noted for their high intellectual qualities. Their keen sense of nationality 

 and the stubbornness with which they cling to their language have been a source of difficulty 

 to the Austrian Government. German is the official language of the empire, but the people 

 of Bohemia have never submitted to the disuse of their own, and their representatives in the 

 Austrian Parliament have always insisted on its use. A few years ago the Emperor, yielding 

 to their demands for its recognition, caused his ministers to decree that it should be placed 

 on an equal footing with German. The wrath of the German party in the State was kindled, 

 and the decree was rescinded. At the moment of writing the Chekhs are once more carrying 



Photo by E. Lecfiner] [View 



A HUNGARIAN. 



