Final answer:
Gerda's reference to Niania as an "old Austrian" suggests Niania's connection to the traditional values and society of the Austro-Hungarian Empire under Emperor Franz Josef, who reigned from 1848 to 1916 and was a key figure as Europe's power dynamics shifted, especially in the Balkans.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Gerda refers to Niania as an "old Austrian" on page 34, she is implying that Niania belongs to a generation that lived under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, specifically during the time of Emperor Franz Josef. Emperor Franz Josef reigned from 1848 until his death in 1916 and was an iconic figure of the empire's long-standing history. The term "old Austrian" suggests a connection to traditional values and the old order of the empire, which was a significant force in European politics and society.
Emperor Franz Josef was an influential ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his reign coincided with critical transformations in European geopolitics, including the rise of independent nations in the Balkans like Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, and Serbia. These transformations occured against a backdrop of waning Ottoman power and increasing tensions among the Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman empires, all striving for influence in the region.