Funeral ceremonies in Innsbruck for Emperor Franz I

Tyrol.

Innsbruck, March 15. After the mournful news of the passing of His late Majesty the Emperor and King Franz I had also officially reached this city, causing the deepest sorrow among all estates of the inhabitants of this capital, and after a gubernatorial proclamation of March 5 suspended all public amusements and ordered the customary requiem services in all parish churches of this province, the deeply shaken inhabitants of the capital Innsbruck also gathered to fulfill this last, sorrowful duty.

Following three days of death knells with all bells on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of this month, the vigils were held on the 9th by the abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Stams, and on the 10th the solemn exequies were conducted by the abbot of the Premonstratensian monastery of Wilten in the parish church of St. Jakob, immediately after the Imperial-Royal Professor of Universal History at the local university, Mr. Ingenuin Weber, secular priest, had addressed the deeply moved congregation with words of religious resignation and an equally instructive and melancholic retrospective on the accomplished, blessed, and honorable life of the deceased.

For this moving funeral service, the parish church of St. Jakob was hung in black on all its altars and adorned with the imperial coats of arms. In its center, before the high altar, the catafalque rose to considerable height, richly illuminated, and at its summit stood the coffin adorned with a lavishly embroidered pall and with the insignia of earthly rule. On the four sides of this catafalque, the following inscriptions were placed, deliberately in the German language so that anyone from all walks of life might understand them and affirm them in their deeply stirred soul.

I. Opposite the main church portal:

To the pious memory

of Franz I,

Emperor of Austria - Count of Tyrol.

The best, most beloved, unforgettable prince and

father.

Born for the salvation of his peoples.

Lived for their prosperity.

In their love not dead.

II. To the right, toward the Epistle side:

After 67 years and 17 days of his severely tried,

gloriously proven life, blessed by God,

and a few hours

after the close of his 43-year reign,

the Supreme Rewarder granted the palm of peace, and

in exchange for earthly crowns the Eternal one!

To Him on March 2, 1835, at a quarter to 1 o'clock in the morning.

III. Facing the high altar:

Devoted to God

in all changes of fortune.

Thankful to the Lord in happiness.

Steadfast and faithful in adversity.

Religion was to Him - He was

to his faithful peoples

guiding star and anchor.

IV. To the left, toward the Gospel side:

Preceding

parents, wives, siblings, children, and grandchildren,

now joyfully hover around the blessedly transfigured.

Weeping peoples tremble in sorrow, pray in humility, and

renew the solemn oath of loyalty!

On the evening of the vigils, and then at the exequies and the requiem masses read simultaneously at all altars, all civil and military authorities of this capital, the active assembly of the Estates and several members of the larger Estates' Committee, the members of the university, and in the two galleries Her Excellency the wife of the Provincial Governor, all ladies of the Imperial-Royal noble foundation for maidens, and several other ladies of the local nobility had assembled in deep mourning, while the rest of the parish church was filled with a devout, deeply moved crowd. At the close of the memorial service, the dirge printed in the note below was sung to choral accompaniment *).

Fervent prayers, punctuated by a thousand tears, rose to the Almighty for the repose of the soul of the beloved sovereign, to whom Tyrol had shown so much devotion and received so much affection from Him, who had visited this loyal province of His not quite three years ago, leaving His beloved memory in all hearts; for Him who on earth was already close to Heaven in thought and deed! And in the hearts of all estates arose the desire to dedicate several days of mourning and public devotion to such a bitter loss.

Thus the Estates on Wednesday the 11th, and the municipal magistrate of this capital on Thursday the 12th of this month, each arranged their own solemn requiem service, the former being conducted again by the Abbot of Stams and the latter by the Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Fiecht, in the same parish church; and all Imperial-Royal troops of the local garrison, led by the general staff and field officers, had chosen the 13th of this month to pray in the same sacred place for the departed, who had been a compassionate father to his loyal armies in war and peace.

At this military memorial service, the former Abbot of Tepl Abbey present here officiated, assisted by the Imperial-Royal regimental chaplains of the Kaiserjäger Regiment, the Infantry Regiment G. H. Baden, and the Dragoon Regiment G. H. Tuscany.

The local Imperial-Royal Leopold-Franzens University will likewise hold a memorial devotion in its church during the first days of next week and celebrate the memory of its illustrious restorer with a commemorative address in the academic hall.

Simultaneously, however, prayers rise from hundreds and hundreds of altars in towns and villages, in valleys and upon the mountains of Tyrol to the Lord - the Rewarder of emperors and kings!

Thus in the fatherland's

faithfully inhabited mountain crags,

amid prayers and tears,

have these days passed away!

Sighs that soared upward -

it is truth and no delusion -

will there turn to sweet fragrances

of a pure sacrificial flame!

And from Austria's wide lands

the way to Him still stands open;

rainbow bridges build themselves

from the father to the children,

to soothe our pain of parting,

if we faithfully trust in God,

courageously hope for reunion,

and loyally love Ferdinand!

*) Rest gently, thou who in life didst only ever do good, gavest us renown and prosperity,

nor ever sadden'd an eye; bringing blessings was thy

striving,

and no prince was loved as thou.

Rest gently, may thy name endure until the last hour departs, and sorrow's anxious

tear,

that glows upon our cheek, turn for thee into a golden sheaf, where the purest joy blossoms. Rest gently, may the fruit of thy virtuous seed thrive; from the mighty ranks of nations may thy state tower high, reared grandly by love and

loyalty,

by thy word, and thy

deed.

Rest gently, until the Rewarder awakens thee to thy reward,

mildly extending His hand toward His seraph throne, and the eternal crown of radiance

then covers thy noble head. E. v. Goetz.

Dann Dein edles Haupt bedeckt. E. v. Goetz.