In two letters addressed to Prince Sixtus dating from 24 March 24 1917 and 9 May 1917, Kaiser Karl recognised Franceīs claim to Alsace-Lotharingia. However, when Italy's claim of even German-speaking South Tirol was upheld by the French, the peace negotiations collapsed. The talks were shaky from the start thanks to Kaiser Karl's insistence that Germany also take place in peace talks. Karl was propelled to make these dangerous moves because Kaiser Wilhelm did not forbid an Austrian peace probe with the French.
However, Wilhelm certainly did not intend that Alsace-Lotharingia should be placed on the bargaining table as the letters had provided. Provoked by a speech of the Austrian Foreign Minister Ottokar Czernin, French Premier Clemenceau published Karlīs March letter on 12 April 1918, thus seriously striking a blow to Austria's relationship with the Germans. Czernin, who had not been informed about the letter, resigned from office after a dispute over this foreign policy issue with the Kaiser.
Following the war, Sixtus was dispatched all over Europe by his sister, ex-Kaiserin Zita. His mission was to constantly feel out the Entente's mood over a possible Habsburg restoration in any number of successor states. Chiefly, this involved France. From 1920, Sixtus came to know the French Premier Aristide Briand on a personal level. The Premier let Sixtus know that, owing to Czech intrigues involving Poland, the French government would take no active steps to oppose a restoration of the Habsburgs in Budapest. Sixtus was also sent to Hungary in order to gauge the opinion of the landowners who made up the bulk of the ex-King's supporters. The prospects for a habsburg restoration were good, but not if it included Zita, however.
Sixtus came to be viewed by many Hungarians as meddler, and an Italian one at that. Certain political circles were already against the Bourbon-Parma clan from the time of the war. Hungarian reaction to the "Sixtus Affair" and a separate peace had been hot. There were bizarre rumours spreading from 1917 on that Zita's brothers all intended to rule their own kingdoms carved from the Hungarian rump following the end of the war.
Three years had not wiped away this stain from Sixtus, untrue and thoroughly absurd as it was. Although Sixtus got replies in the affirmative for Karl and Zita's return from the greatest landowners, many thought a different Habsburg, such as Archduke Friedrich's son Albrecht, should become the new King of Hungary.
Prince Sixtus di Bourbon-Parma died in 1934.
GWS, 11/01 [rev. 3/05]
