# 18th Century Vienna Police Force and other info



## lwhitehead (Apr 20, 2019)

Hi folks I need help on Police Force of 18th Century Vienna, it's during the timeframe of Mozart in Vienna. My main character is a Talented Man who serves Dimwits, a Constable who really solves the Murders and Crimes, Not only can he Read and Write but knows French as well and can Read and Write Music. It's his Love of Music that help him solve crimes and Murders.

Did Emperor Joseph II have a Tin Ear?,

LW


----------



## CyberWar (Apr 20, 2019)

There was no police force as we understand it in Vienna at the time (few places did anywhere else in the world, for that matter). Up until 1849 when a centralized empire-wide Gendarmerie was established in Austria, law and order was maintained either by town watchmen, or soldiers of the local garrison in the larger cities. In Mozart's time, Vienna was policed by in just such a way, by a military police force assembled from the city's garrison troops.

Consequently, your well-educated music-loving character could be a junior officer in that force. Given how he is well-educated and an officer in a military force, he'd almost certainly be of noble birth, likely of the lesser nobility from which the majority of military officers came at the time.

Mind that at the time, law enforcers did not investigate crimes as we understand it today - their tasks were to enforce the city ordinances, keep order in the streets and suppress riots if necessary. Investigation was a business of the court in which law enforcers had no part besides maybe as guards, and was usually limited to questioning of witnesses, the suspect and the accuser by the presiding magistrate. The first modern investigation techniques were only pioneered around 1830 by Paris police force under Eugene Vidocq, who conceived many methods commonly used by the police today, such as using informers and undercover agents. Your character could consequently be a proponent of progressive policing methods, only to be frustrated by the rigid adherence to established convention by his superiors.

And no, considering how Emperor Joseph II was renowned as a patron of arts and especially music, being Mozart's most prominent patron, I don't see how he could possibly have been tone-deaf.


----------



## lwhitehead (Apr 20, 2019)

Since then I would have to use Military Police then my main character would be at least a Corporal, he is a Wunderkind he Father was a Sergeant Major in Military Police. Armed Forces of this 18th Century and Napoleonic era, enlisted men came from the working poor, again this from the British view. If one didn't have Blueblood one couldn't be an Officer in the Military Police, 

Was Emperor Joseph II a Bumbler?,

LW


----------



## Bard_Daniel (Apr 21, 2019)

I'm very intrigued by this topic and hope to educate myself further. This is an extremely interesting period of history for me, so I hope CyberWar will oblige and answer some more questions-- as I'm curious to learn more. :cool2:


----------



## CyberWar (Apr 22, 2019)

lwhitehead said:


> Since then I would have to use Military Police then my main character would be at least a Corporal, he is a Wunderkind he Father was a Sergeant Major in Military Police. Armed Forces of this 18th Century and Napoleonic era, enlisted men came from the working poor, again this from the British view. If one didn't have Blueblood one couldn't be an Officer in the Military Police,
> 
> Was Emperor Joseph II a Bumbler?,
> 
> LW



Corporals and Sergeants were typically experienced veterans who had distinguished themselves with bravery and a knack for leadership. Because of the nobility's domination in the officer corps, it was rare, but not impossible for a talented enlisted man to be promoted to officer rank. As to how often this happened, varied greatly between nations. The British Army of the time, for example, routinely practiced the purchase of commissions, prospective officers having to literally buy their rank. The idea was to keep out the common rabble by ensuring that only gentlemen of class with adequate means would serve as officers. This system was a safeguard against liberal and potentially-revolutionary sentiments in the military, ensuring that most officers belonged to the upper class and therefore had a vested interest in preserving status quo. It also served as a sort of insurance of good conduct - if an officer acted with cowardice or other unbecoming way, he would be cashiered and lose the money paid for his commission, which was a considerable sum. The exact price of an officer's commission varied depending on the desired rank and unit, cavalry and Guard units being more prestigious than others and therefore commanding greater prices. For example, the price of a Lieutenant's commission in 1837 could range between 62 000 to 183 000 British pounds in modern currency, i.e., a considerable fortune that only a wealthy gentleman could afford. The rare exception when a man of the lower classes could become an officer usually happened if he managed to secure wealthy patronage that would pay his way up. The obvious drawback to this system was incompetent people buying their way into officer corps (since officers were allowed to sell their own commissions to others as well), sometimes with disastrous consequences. Commissions were sold up to the rank of Colonel, further advancement being by seniority. Colonial forces, such as those of British East India Company, did not practice the sale of commissions and were more open to the lower classes, one being able to attain officer rank by merit. Colonial officers, however, were often looked down upon by the regular army brass as lowborn upstarts.

Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers were an exception within the British Army, since service in either required considerable education, so commissions here were only awarded to military academy graduates, further promotions being by seniority.

This practice of the British Army stood in somewhat stark contrast to the Royal Navy that had never practiced sale of commissions, any prospective officer having to earn his rank through merit, talented seamen of common birth commonly attaining officer ranks. Perhaps the best example is Horatio Nelson, who rose all the way from ordinary seaman to the rank of Admiral.

The militaries of other European nations generally gravitated between these two extremes. Austrian Empire in particular generally favoured a more meritocratic approach, especially under Joseph II, most officers being either recruited as cadets, military academies being open to people of all classes, or promoted from the ranks. That being said, one still usually required the right ancestry and connections to rise to the higher ranks.

All of the above considered, it is entirely possible that your character, being a gifted scion of a senior enlisted man in Vienna garrison, could secure a place as a cadet through his father's connections. Up until 1802, military service in Austrian Empire was usually a lifetime occupation, soldiers serving from the moment they enlisted (or were conscripted) until they became too old and infirm. Soldiers spent most of their time on garrison duty, marrying and starting families in the cities they served in (though they required permission of their commander to do so). Consequently, their sons would also often enlist as well. A Sergeant Major, being a long-serving senior NCO, would likely have the ear of his regiment's Colonel and therefore able to secure some favour for his son, such as a recommendation to have him placed as cadet in a military academy.

---

As for your other question, historical records do not seem to suggest that Emperor Joseph II had any bumbling qualities. If anything, he is generally described as a competent and very progressive monarch who strived to reform his empire according to Enlightenment ideals. He is known for his policies of centralizing state authority, implementing meritocratic principles throughout the state bureaucracy and the military, creating an efficient tax and revenue system, religious tolerance, education of the lower classes, ending censorship and abolishing serfdom and capital punishment. He was also a patron of arts and sponsor of various public works, notably hospitals that led Vienna to become a major center of medical science. Many of his reforms were fiercely resisted by the entrenched aristocracy, and at times the lower classes as well.

Where as a king Joseph II was generally successful, his private life was marred by tragedy. He married twice, both wives dying of smallpox in a few years, and none of their children survived past childhood. The loss of his first wife devastated him, leading his second marriage to be unhappy despite his new wife's efforts to please him. As his health declined, his courtiers began to abuse their authority in his absence, striving to undo most of the reforms he had strived to implement. In the end Joseph II died a lone, sick and broken man at the age of 48, in his last will commanding that his tomb be adorned with the bitter inscription "Here lies Joseph II who failed in all he undertook".

So I suppose the myth about Joseph II's bumbling personality and questionable musical ability is the product of the film _Amadeus_, rather than any historical fact. The screenwriter who wrote the scenario for _Amadeus_ also admitted that his was largely a work of fiction not meant to represent historical truth.


----------



## lwhitehead (Apr 22, 2019)

Cyberwar and other may have noticed that Mozart the other famous wonderkind of this time period is One of the sources for my character, and yes Amadeus both the play and Movie had got my asking questions so to speak. But History Buff made some good points about the Movie Amadeus he stated about Mozart that as an Adult it was a possible spot on historical view on him.

Mozart's Vienna timeframe is when he discovers that as an Adult he has to work all over again to gain a spotlight as he once did as a Child, he fails due to the fact that Vienna is a musical City with alot of other Composers doing the same thing and he can't keep his Mouth shut Mozart makes enemies.

My character as child meets Gluck who wanted to teacher him Music when the man discovered how gifted he was, but his Father a Sergeant Major and knowing of his Birth stated No he didn't have the Money to pay him.

LW


----------

