Baron Julius von Szilassy
Encyclopedia
Julius (from 1918, Freiherr) Szilassy von Szilas und Pilis (21 August 1870 – ? ? 1935) was an Austro-Hungarian
diplomat of Hungarian origin serving as envoy to Greece
during World War I
.
in Switzerland on 21 August 1870 but spent much of his early childhood in Hungary. After studies in Switzerland and at Harrow
, he entered the Austro-Hungarian foreign service
and served subsequently in a number of diplomatic missions abroad. In 1898, he married Louise-May Hecker, daughter of Frank J. Hecker
, in Detroit. They had one child, but Hecker asked for divorce in 1905.
In 1907, Szilassy was a member of the Austro-Hungarian delegation to the Second Hague Peace Conference and was appointed the following year to serve as counsellor in St. Petersburg before returning to Vienna in 1912. In November 1913, he was appointed to serve as Austro-Hungarian Minister at Athens
and had to manage war-time complexities in Greece. In November 1916, he was expelled by the Entente from Athens.
After his return to Vienna at the end of 1916, he served for a year in the Ballhausplatz
before being dispatched to Constantinople
as counsellor in October 1917, where he remained until the end of the war. There had been several rumours of his appointment as Imperial Foreign Minister in 1917/1918 but his ties to Károlyi
had prevented this. On 1 May 1918, he was created a Baron
.
As one of few professional diplomats who remained in service following the fall of the Habsburg Empire in 1918, he served as the first Hungarian envoy to Switzerland from February to April 1919. After Béla Kun
's revolution, he went into exile but did not return to Hungary during the Horthy years and devoted his remaining life to write several books on diplomacy as well as his memoirs. The latter are unusually frank, in particular the criticism of Count von Berchtold, the Imperial Foreign Minister from 1912 to 1915.
Baron Szilassy died in 1935.
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
diplomat of Hungarian origin serving as envoy to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Life
Born in BexBex
Bex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
in Switzerland on 21 August 1870 but spent much of his early childhood in Hungary. After studies in Switzerland and at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, he entered the Austro-Hungarian foreign service
Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service
The Austro-Hungarian Foreign Service was the diplomatic service carrying out the foreign policy of the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the formation of the Dual Monarchy in 1867 until it was dissolved in 1918.- Diplomatic missions :...
and served subsequently in a number of diplomatic missions abroad. In 1898, he married Louise-May Hecker, daughter of Frank J. Hecker
Frank J. Hecker
Frank J. Hecker was an American railroad-car manufacturer from Detroit, Michigan-Early life:Frank J. Hecker was born in Freedom, Michigan on July 6, 1846. His family moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1859, where Frank was educated...
, in Detroit. They had one child, but Hecker asked for divorce in 1905.
In 1907, Szilassy was a member of the Austro-Hungarian delegation to the Second Hague Peace Conference and was appointed the following year to serve as counsellor in St. Petersburg before returning to Vienna in 1912. In November 1913, he was appointed to serve as Austro-Hungarian Minister at Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and had to manage war-time complexities in Greece. In November 1916, he was expelled by the Entente from Athens.
After his return to Vienna at the end of 1916, he served for a year in the Ballhausplatz
Ballhausplatz
Ballhausplatz is a square in central Vienna containing the building that for over two hundred years has been the official residence of the most senior Austrian Cabinet Minister, the State Chancellor, today the Chancellor of Austria . As a result, Ballhausplatz is often used as shorthand for the...
before being dispatched to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
as counsellor in October 1917, where he remained until the end of the war. There had been several rumours of his appointment as Imperial Foreign Minister in 1917/1918 but his ties to Károlyi
Mihály Károlyi
Count Mihály Ádám György Miklós Károlyi de Nagykároly was briefly Hungary's leader in 1918-19 during a short-lived democracy...
had prevented this. On 1 May 1918, he was created a Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
.
As one of few professional diplomats who remained in service following the fall of the Habsburg Empire in 1918, he served as the first Hungarian envoy to Switzerland from February to April 1919. After Béla Kun
Béla Kun
Béla Kun , born Béla Kohn, was a Hungarian Communist politician and a Bolshevik Revolutionary who led the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919.- Early life :...
's revolution, he went into exile but did not return to Hungary during the Horthy years and devoted his remaining life to write several books on diplomacy as well as his memoirs. The latter are unusually frank, in particular the criticism of Count von Berchtold, the Imperial Foreign Minister from 1912 to 1915.
Baron Szilassy died in 1935.
Works
- Der Untergang der Donau-Monarchie. Diplomatische Erinnerungen, Berlin, E. Berger, 1921.
- Manuel pratique de diplomatie moderne, Lausanne–Genève, 1925.
- Traité pratique de diplomatie moderne, Paris, Payot, 1928.
- Le procès de la Hongrie. Les relations franco–hongroises devant l'histoire, Paris, F. Alcan, 1932.