"It all began with one small event in 1935, one that changed everything. For Austria and Hungary, it was what they needed to once more restore their lost glory...together. A different world is emerging. But would their bonds survive this time, or would history go back to what it was?"
Monarchy Over the Danube RE: A Retold Alternate History
is an Hetalia: Axis Powers fic by mdc01957, set in an Alternate Universe where the return of the deposed House of Habsburg to Austria leads to the revival of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1936, known this time around as the Imperial Federation of the Danube. This proves to have unforeseen consequences to history as we know it.
Inspired by an After-Action Report of the same name, it largely follows the Danubian realms of Austria and Hungary as they face a world that is at once familiar but increasingly changing, eventually including other Central European Nations and the Entente Allies down the timeline; although there is a general narrative, the chapters act more like stand-alones for the most part with each set at a certain time period. The AU the fic takes place in meanwhile tries to serve as a stand-alone Alternate History while also staying true to Hetalia characterizations in terms of the Nations themselves (Compared to a certain other AU).
The fic can also be found in DeviantArt under the same title.
This Fan Fic provides examples of:
- The Alliance: The Entente Cordiale, aka the Allies. Later on, the Quorum of Twelve.
- Amicable Exes: Subverted initially as while Austria and Hungary still long for each other, the painful experience of the Great War left some bitter scars that were only just healing. At one point early on, Hungary even threatens to kill Austria in one heated exchange.
- Anachronic Order: Most chapters take place in chronological order, although the interludes do jump to certain time periods.
- Another Side, Another Story: While many of the chapters are taken form Austria and Hungary's perspectives, this eventually extends to include Prussia, England and Poland. As well as Austria and Hungary's child in the epilogue.
- Babies Ever After: Austria and Hungary have one, who may or may not be an alternate version of Julia/Sopron from the 1983: Doomsday Stories.
- Battle Couple: Austria and Hungary are shown being one, especially given that both of them are officers in their armies.
- Broad Strokes: It's ultimately this to the After-Action Report that inspired this fic, with only certain elements retained and some of the less plausible aspects either altered or removed altogether.
- Butt-Monkey: Prussia to a degree.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The Italian campaign proves to be one for Austria-Hungary. And so does the one in Yugoslavia.
- I Did What I Had to Do: It's made clear that some of the things Austria and Hungary did to solidify their reborn Empire or simply survive made them uncomfortable, as much as they believed that it's for a greater good.
- Dirty Communists: The Soviet Union under Stalin. It eventually collapses in 1950, ending the War and leading to Russia welcoming back the Romanovs, though the Soviets are able to establish a rump state in Siberia that manages to endure for centuries..
- Distant Finale: 600 years later...
- Enemy Mine: How some among the Allied Nations consider Austria and Hungary upon joining the Entente.
- Expy:
- The Union of Nations is essentially a mix of the real life UN and a more competent League of Nations, with many of the Entente forming part of the "Quorum of Twelve" including Austria-Hungary and eventually, China, Russia and Japan.
- The French-influenced European Community is essentially a smaller European Union.
- The Federation:
- What Austria and Hungary are trying to forge with the Habsburg monarchy. They succeed.
- The British-run Commonwealth of Nations evolves into this.
- For Want Of A Nail: The return of the Habsburgs and restoration of Austria-Hungary brings about quite a few butterflies, both deliberate and unforeseen, resulting in a rather different future.
- Future Imperfect: The Distant Finale showed that memories of Austria and Hungary had morphed into the nigh-worshipped "Ruling Couple" venerated by their daughter's peoples. And neither she nor Prussia are all too happy about it.
- Graceful Loser: Surprisingly enough, Prussia. Who leaves his Nazi minders to be captured by Austria in order to tend to his homeland.
- In Spite of a Nail:
- The Spanish Civil War still breaks out on schedule as do a number of global historical events early on, which makes England concerned.
- The Second Great War begins in 1939 with the invasion of Poland by the Nazis. But the circumstances leading up to it however are different. As is the outcome compared to our world.
- A few Historical Domain Characters still become heads of state down the line, like Queen Elizabeth II.
- America still initially holds out from joining the Allies/Entente, as in the real World War II.
- Historical Domain Character: In addition to Otto von Habsburg, a few others show up or are mentioned, including Miklos Horthy, Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
- Mood Whiplash: Parts can shift from light and fluffy to dark and ominous.
- Revision: The fic is a rewritten version of an earlier, unfinished version made years before.
- Shared Universe: The AU makes a number of nods to the fanfic Eva by Marj. With Eva herself visiting her sister, the future Danubian Federation.
- The '30s: The fic begins in 1935, shortly before the historic Anschluss with Germany.
- Those Wacky Nazis: A looming presence for most of the fic. Although the more recent chapters, set in The '40s show the beginning of the end for the Third Reich.
- United Europe: The French and German-run European Community is described as becoming this. It eventually falls apart.
- War Is Hell: The Nations in general are familiar with war in all its glory and horror, seeing it as something they'd rather avoid or end quickly whenever possible. Austria-Hungary's grand victory against the Nazis came at the cost of their cities being attacked by bombers.
- Who's Laughing Now?: The lands of the Danube are initially not taken seriously by England and France, considering them little more than deluded Broken Birds doomed to fall to the Nazis or Soviets. Not even the slow but steady expansion of the Empire's members seems to get much attention from them. Then Austria and Hungary liberate Italy from Mussolini.
