HÜBNER (Joseph Alexandre, Baron, later Count of). - Lot 146

HÜBNER (Joseph Alexandre, Baron, later Count of). Born in Vienna (Austria), 1811—died in 1892. Prominent Austrian diplomat, ambassador to Paris and London, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor. Autograph letter signed “Hübner.” Vienna, August 16, 1870. 2 pages, in-8 format. Paper bearing his monogram (folds). In French. An interesting letter written in the immediate context of the Franco-Prussian War. Hübner describes the considerable difficulties he encountered in returning to Vienna from London due to transportation disruptions on the continent: “…twelve hours between Dover and Ostend… suspension of express trains in Germany… countless delays along the way… it took me five days and one night to reach Vienna…”. He also mentions the late receipt of a letter upon his arrival and expresses his gratitude for “the gracious and charming welcome” he had received in London. A vivid account of the disruptions caused by the 1870 conflict to European communications, this letter sheds light, from a personal perspective, on the immediate consequences of the war on diplomatic travel and international relations.