Two hundred years ago the power conflict between France and Great Britain escalated in the so-called third Coalition War following the events of the French Revolution. Behind the genesis of this conflict were foremost geopolitical and economical interests of the great powers who were then joined by other powers in Europe except Prussia. On Great Britain’s side particularly Austria with its efforts to expiate defeats from the Revolutionary Wars and re-establish recently lost positions in Italy and southern Germany, and Russia with a perspective to influence widely the European power situation and became an important player on the continent within the struggle against the “usurper Bonaparte”. France was later joined by Spain and south German states with Bavaria at the front.
The third Coalition War was the foremost success of British diplomacy, which succeeded in building a threat in the form of the Austrian and the Russian army at the back of the French invasion forces. The Emperor Napoléon was forced to turn to the east and separately defeat badly cooperating and strategically erratic Allied generals in the rapid campaign, capture Vienna and pursue retreating general Kutusov to Moravia. However here his position became suddenly dangerous – long communication lines, forces spread all over the Europe, strongly reinforced Allies as well as the Prussian threat to enter the war on the side of the Coalition pressed Napoléon to fight a decisive battle as soon as possible. Reinforced but incautious and too self-confident the Allies believed Napoléon’s game of pretending his own weakness and set forward against him .Within a few hours on December 2nd 1805, on the battlefield chosen by Napoleon between Brno and Austerlitz, they suffered the ultimate defeat. Russians who survived and avoided capture retreated, however the Austrian Emperor Francis I. had to accept hard conditions of the armistice and in the late December to sign in Pressburg (Bratislava) the uncompromising peace treaty, which made the French Empire the first-class European power, very much to the detriment of Austria. The battle of Austerlitz entered history as the example of a bright and almost complete victory – both military and political. Soon legends were born about its course and background. It has fascinated historians and history enthusiasts for two centuries and very few do not know the name Austerlitz in connection with the greatest of Napoléon’s victories. This dramatic event left a deediv trace in the region. Since the end of 19th century the study and the climax of the 1805 war, then the event of the world importance, were the object of the systematic interest of many societies and individuals. Among them father Alois Slovak, the author of the idea of the Monument of Peace on the Pratzen Heights. In 1930 the so-called Napoleonic days were held in Austerlitz to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the battle. Today they continue with events organized by the Project Austerlitz 2005. In the close cooperation with the communities of the battlefield region and especially with the public services society Mohyla míru – Austerlitz, o. p. s. the Project Austerlitz 2005 is today the already traditional organizer of the commemorative events being held annually on the weekend closest to the December 2nd. In 1998-2004 the commemorative events were also the thorough rehearsal for this year’s bicentennial. Except the battle of Austerlitz the Project Austerlitz 2005 is engaged in the other periods of the Revolutionary Wars and the First Empire. In connection with other events which had an impact on the Czech territory the Project organizes the commemorative events of the battle of Znaim (end of the 1809 campaign) and Kulm (1813 campaign). The Project presents its activities at the web server austerlitz.org and in different publications such as the proceedings Third Coalition War 1805.
The program of Project Austerlitz 2005 events for this year will be – as usually – presented in the Czech Centre in Paris during the so-called Spring Festival (March 22nd 2005). First event will be the international re-enactment event in Bystoice pod Hostýnem. This annual event hosts the annual manoeuvres of the uniformed Napoleonic re-enactment groups. For two days their members perform exercises after periodical regulations there.
On July 8th-10th the commemorative event 196th anniversary of the end of the 1809 campaign will be held in Mikulov (Nikolsburg). On August 12th-14th Napoleonic days will take place in Tvarozna (15 km east from Brno) to celebrate the 263th anniversary of the Emperor Napoleon’s birthday.
On the weekend of December 2nd-4th the week-long commemorative event of the bicentennial of the battle of Austerlitz will climax. On Saturday the main battle reconstruction will be on the program. The ‘battlefield’ will be traditionally under the Santon hill however this time significantly larger and with presence of some 3500 re-enactors from around the world. Sunday will be dedicated to the piety act at the Peace Monument. The detailed program will be soon published at austerlitz.org.
Next to the above mentioned events the Project Austerlitz 2005 co-organizes or supports many scientific conferences, exhibitions and other events covering the Napoleonic Wars and particularly the Austerlitz bicentennial. In Europe there are many important historic and carefully maintained places. The Napoleonic history has a huge number of supporters all around the world.