Tianjin: Austria-Hungary's Eastern Gateway

Between 1901 and 1917, a central part of the northern Chinese port of Tianjin was occupied by Austria-Hungary. The Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin was a territory ceded by the Qing Dynasty to a number of European countries, the United States, and Japan within the city. Tianjin was a hypercolony, a term used to describe a place where empires positioned themselves in close proximity to one another. The Austro-Hungarian concession was obtained after the signing of the Boxer Protocol, which concluded the conflict between China and the Alliance of Eight Nations, which included Austria-Hungary.

The Austro-Hungarian concession of Tianjin was a territory occupied by Austria-Hungary from 1902 to 1920

The Austro-Hungarian concession of Tianjin was a territory of approximately 108 hectares in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, occupied by Austria-Hungary from 1902 to 1920. It was one of nine foreign concessions in the city, which were ceded by the Qing Dynasty to various European countries, the United States, and Japan. The Austro-Hungarian concession was obtained after the signing of the Boxer Protocol, which concluded the conflict between China and the Alliance of Eight Nations, of which Austria-Hungary was a part, contributing four cruisers and 296 soldiers. The concession was formally established on December 27, 1902, and existed for only 14 years before being occupied by China during World War I.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was a self-contained zone with its own infrastructure and institutions. It had a population of around 30,000 people and was maintained by 40 Austro-Hungarian marines and 80 Chinese militia. The area was administered by a town council composed of local nobles, the Austro-Hungarian consul, and the military commander, who held majority voting rights. The juridical system was based on Austro-Hungarian law, and the concession had its own thermae, theatre, pawnshop, school, barracks, prison, cemetery, and hospital.

During World War I, the Austro-Hungarian concession became isolated as China entered the war against the Central Powers. On August 14, 1917, China declared war on Austria-Hungary and Germany and occupied the concession, terminating the lease. Austria officially abandoned all claims to the concession on September 10, 1919, with the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and Hungary followed suit on June 4, 1920, with the Treaty of Trianon. Despite its short existence, the concession left a mark on the city, with traces of Habsburg-style architecture still visible today.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was one of the minor concessions made by the Qing Dynasty to victorious powers following the Boxer Rebellion

The Austro-Hungarian concession of Tianjin was a territory occupied by Austria-Hungary between 1902 and 1920. It was obtained by Austria-Hungary after the signing of the Boxer Protocol, which concluded the conflict between China and the Alliance of Eight Nations. The Boxer Protocol was signed after the Boxer Rebellion of 1901, which was quelled by an international expeditionary force. The Austro-Hungarian concession was one of the minor concessions made by the Qing Dynasty to victorious powers following the Boxer Rebellion. This was due to the limited nature of Austria-Hungary's participation in the international expeditionary force.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was a territory of 108 hectares, situated in the Chinese city of Tientsin. It was bordered by the Hai River to the west and the Jinzhong River to the north. The concession was adjacent to the Tianjin Italian Concession. Austria-Hungary maintained a military presence in the concession, with 40 sailors from the Austro-Hungarian Navy and 80 Chinese policemen, known as Shimbo, stationed there. The administration of the concession was entrusted to a council composed of local nobles, the imperial consul, and the commander of the military garrison. The juridical law applied in the courts of the concession was that of Austria-Hungary.

During their occupation of the concession, the Austro-Hungarians constructed a theatre, spa, school, pawnshop, barracks, prison, hospital, and cemetery. They also granted citizenship to the local population, which was a departure from the practices of other European powers at the time. Despite their relatively short presence in the region, lasting only about 14 years, the Austro-Hungarians left a lasting impact on the area, with traces of Habsburg-style architecture still visible in the city today.

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin became isolated. China entered the war on the side of the Triple Entente and immediately occupied the Austro-Hungarian and German concessions, revoking them on August 14, 1917. The revocation of the concession was formalized through separate treaties with Austria and Hungary at the end of the war, as the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was relatively isolated after the outbreak of World War I in 1914

The Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin, China, was relatively isolated after the outbreak of World War I in 1914. The concession, occupied by Austria-Hungary between 1902 and 1920, was a territory of about 108 hectares in the Chinese city of Tianjin. It was obtained by Austria-Hungary after the signing of the Boxer Protocol, which concluded the conflict between China and the Alliance of Eight Nations that had quelled the Boxer Rebellion of 1901.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was one of the minor concessions made by the Qing Dynasty to the victorious powers following the Boxer Rebellion due to the limited Austro-Hungarian participation in the international expeditionary force. The Austro-Hungarian occupation corps maintained a small garrison in the concession, which included 40 sailors from the Austro-Hungarian Navy and 80 Chinese policemen. However, when World War I broke out in 1914, Austria-Hungary became unable to maintain control of its concession in Tianjin.

The concession was relatively isolated, and its electricity supply was guaranteed from the Belgian concession, while its water supply was provided by a British company in Tianjin. Despite its isolation, 400 Austrian sailors landed in Tianjin and made their way to Qingdao to assist the German forces. During this time, the Allies spied on the Central Powers' concessions.

With China's entry into World War I on the side of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers, the Austro-Hungarian and German concessions were immediately occupied, and China declared them revoked on 14 August 1917. The Austrian consul recounted that he received a telephone call from the German consul, informing him that China had declared war on Austria-Hungary and Germany. A Chinese delegate then arrived with a request to cancel the concession and subordinate the naval detachment. As it was not possible to agree on ammunition, the sailors destroyed their weapons. The sailors then travelled to Beijing in uniform with their equipment.

The Dutch delegate persuaded the Austrian consul to accept China's ultimatum, and the concession was handed over formally. Chinese police then entered the concession, and the Chinese flag was raised on the administration building. Cash, amounting to between two and three thousand dollars, was transferred to China from the bank account of the Austrian consulate.

The outbreak of World War I and the subsequent isolation of the Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin ultimately led to its revocation by China in 1917, marking the end of Austria-Hungary's presence in the region.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was occupied by China in 1917, after it declared war on the Central Powers

The Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin was a small but significant territory in China during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was established in 1901, following the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, in which Chinese rebels targeted foreign interests in China. As a result of the rebellion, the victorious powers, including Austria-Hungary, were granted territorial concessions in several Chinese cities, including Tianjin.

The concession, along with those of other foreign powers, was an autonomous territory within China, governed by Austro-Hungarian administrators and home to a small community of Austrian and Hungarian citizens. It was a small enclave, measuring just 0.5 square miles (1.3 square km), and was located along the Haihe River in the heart of Tianjin.

However, the concession's existence was short-lived. With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Austria-Hungary, as part of the Central Powers, found itself at war with China, which had joined the Allied Powers in 1917. As a result, the Chinese government moved to seize control of the concession, along with concessions belonging to other Central Powers nations, including Germany.

In August 1917, China officially declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary, and in the same month, Chinese troops occupied the Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin. This marked the end of Austro-Hungarian rule in the concession and the beginning of Chinese control. The concession was formally returned to China in 1920, following the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which officially ended World War I and dissolved the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The occupation of the concession by China was a significant event, as it marked the first time that China had directly challenged the privileges and powers of foreign concessions in its territory. It also demonstrated China's growing assertiveness and desire to reclaim sovereignty over its territory, a trend that would continue in the following decades.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was formally handed over to China on 16:00 on the day of the Chinese ultimatum

The Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin, China, was a territory occupied by Austria-Hungary from 1902 to 1920. It was obtained after the signing of the Boxer Protocol, which concluded the conflict between China and the Alliance of Eight Nations, of which Austria-Hungary was a part. The Alliance sent an international expeditionary force to quell the Boxer Rebellion of 1901.

The Austro-Hungarian concession was formally handed over to China at 16:00 on the day of the Chinese ultimatum. This occurred after the outbreak of World War I in 1914, which left the concession relatively isolated. The Chinese entered the war alongside the Triple Entente against the Central Powers, which included Austria-Hungary, and they immediately occupied the Austro-Hungarian and German concessions, declaring them revoked on 14 August 1917.

The handover of the concession is described by the Austrian consul, who recounts that he received a telephone call from the German consul informing him that China had declared war on Austria-Hungary and Germany. A Dutch delegate was expected to arrive in Tianjin later that day. A Chinese delegate then arrived at 11:30 with a request to cancel the concession and subordinate the naval detachment. As it was not possible to agree on ammunition, the sailors destroyed it and then travelled to Beijing in uniform with their equipment. The Dutch delegate persuaded the consul to accept the Chinese ultimatum, and the concession was handed over at 16:00.

The Chinese recount states that at 16:00, the Chinese authorities fully occupied the concession, stationing policemen, and the Chinese flag was raised at the barracks and administration building. This marked the end of the Austro-Hungarian presence in Tianjin, which had lasted just 14 years.

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