Autori na temelju arhivske građe, novinskih članaka i recentne literature istražuju boravak Ivana Merza na Vojnoj akademiji u Bečkom Novom Mjestu. Iako akademija nije bio njegov izbor, nakon mature po želji roditelja mladi Merz se upisao na Vojnu akademiju u Bečkom Novom Mjestu. Bilo je to teško razdoblje u njegovu životu, kako i sam priznaje najprije u svojem Dnevniku a kasnije se povjerio i svojemu gimnazijskomu profesoru Ljubomiru Marakoviću. Grubost i nemoral na Vojnoj akademiji bili su svakodnevica, a uz činjenicu da će čitav život morati raditi posao koji nije želio bili su mu posve oprečni. Njegova želja i afinitet bili su da studira književnost i postane profesor, te je nakon tri mjeseca, uz suglasnost roditelja, napustio Vojnu akademiju, na kojoj je boravio od 12. rujna do 22. prosinca 1914. godine. Ivan Merz je odlukom Pape Ivana Pavla II. 22. lipnja 2003. u Banjoj Luci proglašen blaženikom Katoličke Crkve. The authors’ research on Ivan Merz’s sojourn at the Wiener Neustadt Military Academy is based on archival material, new articles, as well as recent literature. Though not by his own choice, Merz entered the Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt after graduation, as his parents wished. It was a difficult period in his life, as he himself admits in his Diary and later to his secondary school Professor Ljubomir Maraković, Ph.D. Rudeness and immorality at the Military Academy were a daily occurrence and were contrary to his nature, as was also the life–long job which awaited him. His desire and penchant for studying literature and becoming a teacher prevailed, and so with his parents’ consent he left the Military Academy, having spent three months there, namely, from September 12 to December 22, 1914. Ivan Merz was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22, 2003 in Banja Luka, Bosnia