The Habsburgs, because of their large bloodline and dominions, became one of the most influential royal families in Europe.
Among them, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was also one of the powerful empires ruled by the Habsburgs.
However, after the end of World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell apart.
Naturally, the Habsburgs, who were the rulers of the empire, were also to be expelled.
In 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, his son Karl became the successor of the empire, but after only four years on the throne, he was driven out of the country due to defeat and the empire was dissolved.
At this time, Karl's son Otto was only 6 years old, and because his father Karl lost the throne, Otto also became a declining heir to the throne.
Until Otto's death in 2011, he did not restore the Austro-Hungarian Empire that he had beloved for 99 years of his life.
On the contrary, because of a pan-European picnic organized by himself, it was self-defeating and contributed to the unification of East and West Germany.
His move was hailed as the first brick to be torn down from the Berlin Wall, and the Iron Curtain on Europe slowly fell.
Otto was born in November 1912, while his grandfather, Archduke Ferdinand, was still on the throne, and the whole Habsburg family was very happy about his arrival.
Also because of his importance, his name has as many as 58 characters.
But the good times were short-lived, and two years later Archduke Ferdinand was shot dead, and the world war came.
Naturally, his father, Karl I, became emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Otto also became the crown prince of the empire.
However, before he could ascend to the throne, the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell apart due to defeat, and Karl I was unwilling to give up the throne, so he could only be expelled from the country, and Otto had been living in exile with his father.
By the time Otto was 10 years old, Karl had also died outside, and he inherited the position of patriarch as the sole heir to the throne at a young age.
However, the changing international situation can no longer tolerate the restoration of the old empire, coupled with the weakening of the family's power, it is no longer possible to restore the glory of the past.
But Otto, like his father, was reluctant to admit the decline of the empire, and even less willing to renounce the throne.
As a result, he could only grow up in Switzerland, study in Spain, and finally get a doctorate in Belgium.
Although he knew that the restoration of the throne was impossible, Otto still did not want to admit it in his heart, and of course, he did not put all his thoughts on the restoration of the throne.
When Hitler annexed Austria in 1938, Otto also vehemently opposed it, after all, because it was his homeland.
Hitler also offered Otto a generous temptation to help him ascend to the throne of Austria-Hungary, but only on the condition that Otto believed in the Nazis.
This feeling of being manipulated was not what Otto wanted, and after turning against him, he was naturally pursued by the Gestapo, and Otto was the top target of the Gestapo.
In May 1940, when Hitler attacked Belgium, Otto escaped from danger with the help of Roosevelt and settled temporarily in the United States.
Life under the fence was not easy, and when the war was over, Alto returned to Europe.
But by this time Europe had undergone earth-shaking changes, the Danube basin was shrouded in Soviet influence, and Hungary's door had been closed to him.
Austria was no better, declaring that as long as Otto did not give up the throne, Austria would never allow him to return to his homeland.
At this time, Otto had no legal status, not even a passport, and no one was willing to sponsor a crown prince with no hope of restoration.
After marrying the German princess, Otto also began to reflect on his life path, and in May 1961, he made the decision to renounce the throne.
This was finally forgiven by Austria, which allowed him to return to his home country on October 31, 1966.
After his change of mind, Otto set his life goal towards European unity.
In the 80s, a new civil society organization emerged in Europe in the European Union, and Otto became the leader of this organization.
The primary goal of this organization is to break down the boundaries between Eastern and Western Europe and to enable the free exchange of people and things.
On August 19, 1989, Otto used his influence to organize a large-scale and far-reaching event near the border between Austria and Hungary.
On the same day, Hungary decided to implement a three-hour open policy on the border, allowing people from East and West Europe on both sides of the border to interact with each other, of course, with the slogan of the outside world being picnic.
At this time, many East Germans were traveling in Hungary, and they were surprised to learn about this activity through propaganda, because before that, the national rule was that the border line was not allowed to be opened, and the military and police had the right to shoot anyone who crossed the border without permission.
As a result, the opening of the borders led some East Germans to see it as a trap.
But more than 600 East Germans were brave enough to participate in the event, and they did so for a purpose.
The more than 600 people did not carry any luggage, not even food for a picnic, but stood quietly on the border line, waiting for the barbed wire fence to open.
The moment the Hungarian policeman Apadabella opened the barbed wire, the swarming East Germans rushed to Austria.
Their goal was not Austria, but to enter West Germany through Austria.
In less than three hours, more than 700 East Germans entered Austria.
Subsequently, the border was closed again.
During these three hours, although not many people crossed the border, Otto's move brought hope for the reunification of East and West Germany.
After this event, on 9 November, the Berlin Wall fell permanently, and the complete reunification of East and West Germany was achieved.
Today, on August 19th, Germany celebrates the Pan-European picnic of that year.