Abstract: The world recently celebrated the centenary of the peace treaties after World War I (1919) as a promising start for a new more peaceful world. 2021 became an underestimated anniversary of the eastern federal state of Burgenland; having become part of Austria in 1921– the complete borders of the young state were not established until 1922. Though, Europe and its society were struggling with many circumstances in the aftermath of the war. Not only the war and further conflicts had claimed many victims. The Spanish flu was devastating for the already weakened population – to a lesser extent, and though economic, social and political challenges reminding on the pandemic situation we are currently facing. Economy and supply lay fallow. And yet the countries were at least politically stabilized. The once mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire was split into many new nations due to the Fourteen-Points-Treaty; decisions that had deeper consequences than they were entitled to. The symbol of Austria-Hungary, the emperor, had gone into exile. Despite a promising start, stability in the young republic stumbled, ultimately sowing seeds for the National Socialism. It might have been the absence of the Habsburg Empire that opened the doors to the annexation of Austria and its steps into World War II with all its consequences. The paper reflects the start and the consequences of the First World War.