The attempted assassination of Franz Joseph, 1853

18. Feb 1853

In 1853, while walking on the glacis in Vienna, the Emperor survived an attempted assassination by the Hungarian journeyman tailor János Libényi. The quick actions of Imperial Adjutant Count Maximilian O’Donell and a passing citizen, Josef Ettenreich, saved the Emperor’s life. The motive for the attack has never been discovered. The Votivkirche in Vienna was built as an act of thanksgiving for the Emperor’s survival.