And Deliver us from Evil: Prince Metternich on Revolution — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

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And Deliver us from Evil: Prince Metternich on Revolution

Name: Matthew Wehmeier
Major: History, German
Hometown: Schaumburg, IL
Faculty Sponsor: Stephen Udry
Other Sponsors: Mitchell, Stephanie
Type of research: Senior thesis

Abstract

To Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, the French Revolution and its aftermath represented not only a dire threat to conservative rule in Europe, but to the very fabric of society. Metternich saw revolution as an ultimate evil, a horror which could only destroy. Current historiography focuses heavily on Metternich's actions before, during, and following the Congress of Vienna, and on the realities of "Metternich System," the conservative program he outlined to prevent future revolution. This historiography ignores almost entirely Metternich's true motivation in campaigning so vehemently against revolution. My research focuses on Metternich's thought process during the years 1789-1830, more specifically dealing with his perspective on the French Revolution and its aftermath, and on revolution in general. In order to accomplish this I reviewed numerous secondary sources as well as the published Memoirs of Prince Metternich and its German-language counterpart Aus Metternichs Nachgelassenen Papieren. From this research I concluded that Metternich saw European revolution both as a threat to conservative order and as a moral evil, changing form constantly from the French Revolution through Napoleon to pre-1848 revolutionary agitation.

Poster file