Forbidden Federalism: Secret Diplomacy and the Struggle for a Danube Confederation: 1918-1921 (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781943596119)

The key concept of this title is that of federalism, understood as a unifying factor for the peoples of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. During the First World War, even those resolutely in favor of dismantling Austria-Hungary recognized that the Danubian area required some sort of federal unity, if only for economic reasons. One of the main actors of the narrative is Karl of Habsburg-Lorraine, the last Emperor-King of Austria-Hungary. As soon as Austria-Hungary fell apart, Karl started actively to try to reconstruct his empire by writing a plan for a new con/federal monarchy and by contacting the pope and the leaders of the Entente regarding this plan.

B csi's book is a study in virtual history, what might have been, and reading it one is tempted to follow this line of thought as well. The shadowy figures that cross its pages-the Marquis de Castellone who sought to win over the Foreign Office to Karl's plans, the better-known Stepan Radic who played with federal schemes in an effort to advance the Croatian cause, or the obscure swindler Karol Bulissa-all failed in their attempts. The present configuration in Central Europe, with the emergence of the Visegrad bloc and disintegration in

the Balkans, seems to make Zolt n B csi's work more relevant than ever.