Otto von Habsburg dies

[Betonov]

Poecking, Germany - Otto von Habsburg, the oldest son of the last monarch of the Austro-Hungarian empire and grand-son of Franz Joseph, died Monday at his home in southern Germany, a family employee disclosed. He was 98.


'He went peacefully,' a female staff member at the Habsburg home in Poecking, on Starnberg Lake south-west of Munich, told the German Press Agency dpa.


Further details were not immediately disclosed.
Habsburg was born on November 20, 1912, two years before the start of World War I which would lead to the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian empire ruled by his family.


The Austrian monarchy was abolished in 1918, and Otto von Habsburg's father, Emperor Karl I, relinquished the throne.


He was instrumental in the international recognition of Slovenia and Croatia. His biggest achievement was aranging dr. France Bucar's speech before the European Comunity about the democratization of Slovenia, without it Europe might have taken a longer time in recognizing Slovenias fight for independence, the Brion declaration would never have happened and the war might have been longer and bloodier.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_von_Habsburg

[danasan]

When I saw your headline, I thought, he must have been 100 years old. So 98 he was...

RIP, Otto

[Jimbuna]

Last of the line eh?

RIP Sir.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Last of the line eh?

RIP Sir.

Not quite

There is Andrea, Monika, Michaela, Gabriela, Walburga, Karl, and Georg

And not to mention a cubic buttload of little von Hapsburgs kids running around.

[Paco]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Last of the line eh?

RIP Sir.

No, the current Head of the House of Habsburg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Habsburg-Lothringen

[Jimbuna]

Ah well the impression I had was he was the end of the bloodline...my apologies

[Paco]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Ah well the impression I had was he was the end of the bloodline...my apologies

Hmmm, there are two sons, so the bloodline continues?
What do You think?

Paco.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Paco

Hmmm, there are two sons, so the bloodline continues?
What do You think?

Paco.

....and so it continues.

[Respenus]

He was the last with some sort of legal right to claim the throne of AH. His sons and their children merely ensure the survival of the name. There is a Napoleon something out there, the head of his house, but has no claims, similar to Karl now. Still odd to see old Otto go, he seemed ubiquitous.