Timeline
Key Events in the History of the Habsburg Family Jewels
October 16, 1765:
Empress Maria Theresa transfers the family jewels to a family fund, with the consent of her son, Emperor Joseph II, establishing them as private property of the imperial family.
November 3, 1918:
The armistice of Villa Giusti marks the end of World War I for Austria, leading to revolutionary unrest.
First week of November, 1918:
The family jewels are relocated to Switzerland by an authorized representative of Emperor Karl I, the still reigning emperor at the time. The crown jewels remain untouched and are still on display in Vienna today.
November 12, 1918:
The Republic of German-Austria is proclaimed.
March 24, 1919:
The last Austrian Emperor’s family goes into exile in Switzerland, leaving behind their material belongings.
April 3, 1919:
The “Habsburg Laws” take effect in the Republic of Austria, providing for the seizure of Habsburg-Lothringen assets within the territory of the Republic of Austria without any compensation.
April 1, 1922:
Emperor Karl I dies in exile in Madeira, Portugal.
March 12, 1938:
Following orders from Adolf Hitler, German Wehrmacht troops enter Austria without resistance, leading to its incorporation into the German Reich (“Anschluss”).
September 1, 1939:
World War II begins.
May 10, 1940:
German Wehrmacht troops invade Belgium, prompting the family to escape to France, shortly before their home in exile in Belgium was bombed by the German Luftwaffe. The family managed to flee, first via France to Portugal, and eventually to Canada with help from the Americans, where they continued to advocate for Austrian independence and Central Europe liberation.
1940 – present:
In the course of their escape, the family brings significant parts of the culturally and historically important family jewelry to Canada. There they survived the turmoil of the Second World War and the upheavals of the post-war period and found a new home.
November 6, 2025:
With the announcement of their preservation, the important pieces of Habsburg family jewelry in Canada return to the light of day. The property will be publicly displayed in Canada in appreciation for the country and its people, which provided the family with protection and legal security for the objects under extremely challenging circumstances.