Lothar Baumgartner, Erwin Sieche
Die Schiffe der k.(u.)k. Kriegsmarine
im Bild 1896-1918: Band 2
Austro-Hungarian Warships in Photographs
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At proximately 4 o’clock that afternoon the formal ceremony turning over the fleet to the Croats took place on the quarter deck of the Viribus Unitis. Admiral Horthy and his officers were saddened while the Croats were jubilant. To the sound of bugles the red-white-red flag of the old monarchy was hauled down for the last time, and the Croatian red-white-blue flag was hauled up the mast not only of the Viribus Unitis but also to the masts of hundreds of other naval and merchant ships in the harbor of Pula. The ships’ bands played the Croatian national anthem, “Lijepa naša Domovina…”, and 21 gun salutes followed (21). Admiral Horthy left the flagship at 4:30 p. m. carrying with him a portrait of the Emperor Franz Joseph, the ship’s ceremonial ensign, and his personal flag. He was visibly moved as he left the ship for the last time (22).
http://www.cuvalo.net/?p=1039---iz memoara admirala Horthyja
.....
Half-past four struck. This was one of the saddest moments in a life hitherto singularly happy. As I appeared on the deck of the Viribus Unitis, the crew
stood as one man to attention. I was so moved that for a few moments I stood speechless, unable to begin my short farewell address to the men. The portrait presented by His Majesty Emperor Francis Joseph to the flagship which bore his personal motto Viribus Unitis as her name, the silk ceremonial ensign and my own Admiral’s flag I took with me.
As my flag was struck, all the flags on all the ships followed suit: a war flag that had never been struck to an enemy. The majority of the officers, including
many Croats and Slovenes, left the ships after me to leave Pola next morning.
i nesto ranije, stoji napisano u memoarima:
The discussion was short and cool. I refused the request of the Yugoslavs to strike the Imperial red, white and red ensign and hoist the Yugoslav national
flag. Until I left the ship at half-past four that afternoon, my pendant and the Imperial red, white and red ensign would be worn.
Broj poginulih (na Viribus Unitisu), koji se spominju u gornjem radu Dr. Matthew Zvonimir Markotić, a koje izvodi iz Horthijevih memoara (o cemu o istome nema ni rijeci) -- podsjeca na posljedice koje nastaju kada se arhiva izgubi (u nabujaloj rijeci) i onda svatko pise kako misli da je najbolje.
