n the eve of
the elections (January 1895) the pope, influenced partly by the
Hungarian crisis and partly by an idea of Cardinal Rampolla that the
best antidote to democratic socialism would be a clerically controlled
fusion of the Christian Socialists and anti-Semites, sent his blessing
to Prince Liechtenstein and his followers. This action alarmed the
government and a considerable body of the higher episcopate, who felt
assured that any permanent encouragement given to the anti-Semites would
in the end strengthen the parties of sedition and disorder. Cardinal
Schonborn was despatched in haste to Rome to expostulate with the
pontiff, and his representations were strongly supported by the French
and Belgian bishops. The mischief was however, done, and although the
pope sent a verbal message to Prince Liechtenstein excluding the
anti-Semites from his blessing, the elections resulted in a great
triumph for the Jew-haters. The municipal council was immediately
dissolved by the government, and new elections were ordered, but these
only strengthened the position of the anti-Semites, who carried 92 seats
out of a total of 138. A cabinet crisis followed, and the premiership
was entrusted to the Statthalter of Galicia, Count Badeni, who assumed
office with a pledge of war to the knife against anti-Semitism. In
October the new municipal council elected as burgomaster of Vienna Dr
Karl Lueger (b. 1844), a vehement anti-Semite, who had displaced Prince
Liechtenstein as leader of the party. The emperor declined to sanction
the election, but the council repeated it in face of the imperial
displeasure. Once more a dissolution was ordered, and for three months
the city was governed by administrative commissioners. In February 1896
elections were again held, and the anti-Semites were returned with an
increased majority. The emperor then capitulated, and after a temporary
arrangement, by which for one year Dr Lueger acted as vice-burgomaster
and handed over the burgomastership to an inoffensive nominee, permitted
the municipal council to have its way. The growing anarchy in parliament
at this moment served still further to strengthen the anti-Semites, and
their conquest of Vienna was speedily followed by a not less striking
conquest of the Landtag of Lower Austria (November 1896).

Since then a reaction of sanity has slowly but surely asserted itself.
In 1908 the anti-Semites had governed Vienna twelve years, and, although
they had accom