Hello and welcome to a History of Europe, Gie Battles podcast.

My name is Cardo Reilat and today I'll be continuing the story of the First World War.

This is part 10 and covers the fighting on the Western Front in 1914.

On the eve of the Great War, the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig was taking a holiday near the Belgian port of Ostend,

where he remembered the mood was as carefree as every other summer.

Quote, visitors enjoying the holiday lay on the beach in brightly coloured tents or bathed in the sea.

The children flew kites, and young people danced outside the cafes on the promenade

laid out on the harbour wall.

End quote.

And he remarked how the people of various nationalities mixed peacefully.

Overnight, however, the mood darkened as news came through of threats of mobilisation

across the continent. Quote, a cold wind of fear was blowing over the beach, sweeping it clean,

end quote. Like many others, Stefan Zweig packed up hastily and rushed homeward by train, finding it difficult

to believe that Europe's peace had ended so quickly and so finally.

The declarations of war were met by some of the public with great enthusiasm.

On the 2nd of August in St. Petersburg, winter palace square,

an enormous crowd gathered with flags, banners, icons and portraits of the Tsar.

When Nicholas II appeared at the balcony, the entire crowd at once knelt and sang the Russian

national anthem. The day before, a similar crowd gathered in the Odiansplatz in Munich

in Bavaria to hear the proclamation of mobilisation. And in Berlin, the Kaiser appeared on his

palace balcony, dressed in a filled grey uniform to address a great crowd. Quote, a fateful hour

has fallen upon Germany.

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