Nevertheless, in those days before 1914 there was an atmosphere of liberalism in Europe west of Czarist Russia; an atmosphere which also pervaded Austria and which was destroyed, for ever it now seems, by the First World War. The University of Vienna, with its many teachers of real eminence, had a great degree of freedom and autonomy. So had the theatres, which were important in the life of Vienna-almost as important as music. The Emperor kept aloof from all political parties and did not identify himself with any of his governments. Indeed he followed, almost to the letter, the precept given by Søren Kierkegaard to Christian VIII of Denmark.1