Speech by the heir to the throne Archduke Karl for the benefit of the Imperial-Royal Austrian Military Widows and Orphans Fund, sound recording, 16 February 1916

After two years of war Austria-Hungary was economically and militarily entirely worn out. On 21 November 1916 a further blow came with the death of Emperor Franz Joseph, who had been an important linchpin for the unity of the decrepit Dual Monarchy.

During the First World War propaganda was acknowledged to be a crucial tool in modern warfare. Not only posters, flyers and postcards were brought out with patriotic motifs and vilifying slogans against the enemy, but also sound recordings with political speeches and propagandist pieces of music.