Austria's Nazi Problem: A Historical Overview

Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until 27 April 1945. During this time, Austrians played a central role in Nazi crimes, with many key figures in the extermination project – including Hitler, Eichmann, and Kaltenbrunner – being Austrian. Austrians were overrepresented in the Nazi regime, constituting only 8% of the Third Reich's population but making up 13% of the SS, 40% of concentration camp staff, and 75% of camp commanders.

The origins of Nazism in Austria are disputed and continue to be debated. However, it is clear that Austrians enthusiastically supported the annexation of their country by Nazi Germany, with 99% of the population voting in favour of the union. This support continued throughout World War II, with 950,000 Austrians fighting for the Nazi German armed forces and many others participating in the Nazi administration, from death camp personnel to senior Nazi leadership.

After World War II, Austria sought comfort in the myth of being the first victim of the Nazis. This victim theory became a fundamental myth of Austrian society, allowing former Nazis to be brought back into social and political life. It was not until the 1986 election of former Wehrmacht intelligence officer Kurt Waldheim as federal president that Austrians began to reconsider their attitude towards the past and abandon the victim theory.

Nazi support in Austria

Austria was an integral part of the Third Reich, with 950,000 Austrians fighting for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II. Austrians also served loyally as soldiers from Germany proper and were just as responsible for Nazi atrocities on the Eastern Front. Austrians were overrepresented in the Nazi regime, comprising only 8% of the Third Reich's population, but making up over 13% of the SS. Many of the key figures in the extermination project of the Third Reich were Austrian, as were over 75% of commanders and 40% of the staff at Nazi death camps.

The origins of Nazism in Austria have been disputed and continue to be debated. However, it is clear that anti-Semitism was deeply rooted in the country, and Austrian Nazis were instrumental in drafting the blueprint for the Final Solution. The Viennese events during Kristallnacht proved that anti-Semitism was more virulent and violent in Austria than in most other German areas. A significant percentage of the Jews killed were in Vienna, where dozens of synagogues and hundreds of Jewish shops and apartments were destroyed and plundered.

The Austrian resistance was small but not negligible. Tens of thousands of Austrians were arrested for political reasons during the war, and about 2,700 were executed. Additionally, a number of Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army.

Austrian involvement in Nazi crimes

Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until 27 April 1945. During this time, Austrians were involved in Nazi crimes in several ways.

Support for Nazi Germany

When Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, the troops entering the country received the enthusiastic support of most of the Austrian population. Austrians welcomed Hitler, and the majority supported the annexation. The Austrian resistance was small, and the majority of Austrians actively supported the regime until its end.

Austrians in the Nazi Military and Administration

During World War II, 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and 150,000 joined the Nazi Party's military wing, the Waffen-SS. Austrians also served as soldiers from Germany proper and were just as responsible for Nazi atrocities on the Eastern Front.

Austrians in the Nazi Party

Around 10% of the Austrian population, or 700,000 people, joined the Nazi Party. Austrians were overrepresented in the SS, with 13-14% of SS soldiers being Austrian, despite Austrians only making up 8% of the population of Nazi Germany. Austrians also made up a disproportionate number of concentration camp personnel, with 40% of staff at death camps being Austrian.

Austrian Bureaucrats and the Final Solution

The majority of the bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian. Austrians were also heavily involved in the Holocaust in other ways. For example, the largest concentration camp in Austria, the Mauthausen-Gusen complex, had over 50 subcamps, and mass murder was practised in Hartheim Castle near Linz.

Austrian Involvement in the Holocaust

The Holocaust in Austria started in July 1941 and had mostly finished by the end of 1942. Austrian Jews were deported to ghettos and concentration camps in Belarus, Latvia and Poland, and thousands of Hungarian Jews were forced to work on the construction of defence lines in Austria. The extermination of Jews continued for several weeks after Germany surrendered in rural areas of Styria.

Austrian Involvement in Anti-Romanyism

The Anti-Romanyism sentiment of Nazi Germany was implemented initially most harshly in newly annexed Austria. Between 1938 and 1939, the Nazis arrested around 2,000 Gypsy men, who were sent to Dachau, and 1,000 Gypsy women, who were sent to Ravensbrück.

Austrians in Senior Leadership Roles

Several Austrians held senior leadership roles in the Nazi regime, including Adolf Hitler, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Arthur Seyß-Inquart, Odilo Globocnik, Franz Josef Huber, August Eigruber, Alexander Löhr, Hermann Neubacher, Lothar Rendulic, Wolfgang Abel, Heinrich Gross, Alois Brunner, Karl Silberbauer, Otto Skorzeny, Edmund Glaise-Horstenau, Hugo Jury, Franz Hofer, Friedrich Rainer, Friedrich Franek, and Amon Göth.

Austrian resistance to Nazism

One of the most notable resistance groups was led by the priest Heinrich Maier. This group sought to re-establish a Habsburg monarchy after the war and played a crucial role in providing the Allies with information on Nazi production sites for weapons such as V-1 and V-2 rockets, Tiger tanks, and Messerschmitt aircraft. Maier's group was also one of the first to report the mass murder of Jews, utilising contacts at the Semperit factory near Auschwitz.

In addition to armed resistance, many individuals provided support to Jewish families during the Holocaust, risking imprisonment or death. Rosa and Anton Stallbaumer, for example, were arrested by the Gestapo in 1942 and sent to concentration camps. While Anton survived, Rosa died at Auschwitz at the age of 44.

The Austrian resistance also included military personnel such as Robert Bernardis, Heinrich Kodré, and Major Carl Szokoll, who planned "Operation Radetzky" to assist the Red Army in liberating Vienna and prevent its destruction. However, the operation was betrayed, and Bernardis, Kodré, and several others were sentenced to death and executed.

Overall, the Austrian resistance to Nazism was diverse and brave, but it faced significant challenges due to the widespread support for the Nazis among the Austrian population.

The Soviet occupation of Austria

On April 29, 1945, Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border at Klostermarienberg in Burgenland. The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria was part of a larger effort to push back against Nazi Germany's invasion of the USSR, which began in June 1941. The Soviets' advance into Austria was led by the 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts, two army groups that had been fighting in Hungary and suffered heavy losses.

Although Moscow considered Austria a defeated Axis power, it was treated more leniently than Germany. Austria did not lose any territory, and its citizens were not expelled or subjected to ethnic cleansing. The Western Allies also successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans for burdensome war reparations. However, Moscow demanded entitlement to German assets in Austria within its zone of occupation, and local governments were obliged to feed and clothe the Red Army.

The Soviets did not attempt to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, and the scale of political violence was more limited compared to other countries under Soviet occupation. The Soviet leadership wanted to establish a friendly regime in Austria and was also more focused on neighbouring countries that posed a greater military threat. Soviet propaganda also sought to differentiate ordinary Austrians from Nazis, encouraging soldiers to treat civilians correctly.

During the occupation, the Soviets arrested around 2,400 Austrians, with 1,250 prosecuted for various crimes, including war crimes and everyday criminal activity. About 150 were executed, while others received lengthy prison sentences. The Soviets also engaged in looting and sexual violence, with mass rapes occurring in Vienna and other parts of the country.

The occupation ended in 1955, with the Soviet Union and Western Allies withdrawing their troops after Austria pledged neutrality in the Cold War.

Post-war Austria

After World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna was similarly subdivided, with the central district under the collective administration of the Allied Control Council.

Austria's post-war experience was shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, in which the Allies agreed to treat Austria as the first victim of Nazi aggression, while still holding it responsible for its participation in Nazi crimes. This declaration paved the way for Austria's independence and its emergence as a neutral state in the Cold War.

Political Landscape

Austria's first post-war government was formed by the coalition of Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, the traditional center-left and center-right Austrian parties. However, the Soviets continued to exercise control in their occupation zone, influencing political appointments and policies.

Economic Challenges

Austria faced significant economic challenges in the post-war period. The country had to bear the costs of maintaining the occupying troops, which amounted to around 35% of Austrian state expenditures. Additionally, the Soviets imposed burdensome reparations, extracting industrial equipment and other assets, which contributed to Austria's economic struggles.

Social Issues

Austrian society grappled with the legacy of Nazism and the country's role in Nazi crimes. While the Nazi Party was banned, Austria did not undergo the same thorough denazification process as post-war Germany. The "victim theory," which portrayed all Austrians as unwilling victims of Nazi rule, took hold and allowed former Nazis to reintegrate into society. It was only in the 1990s that Austrians collectively acknowledged their responsibility for Nazi crimes.

Soviet Occupation

The Soviet occupation of Austria was marked by political violence, arrests, and tribunals. However, compared to other countries occupied by the Red Army, the scale of repression in Austria was more limited due to Moscow's adherence to the "'victim theory' and the country's geopolitical position. Soviet occupation policies also included the extraction of reparations, resulting in the seizure of industrial plants and production installations.

Food Crisis

Food shortages and hunger were prevalent in post-war Austria. Daily calorie rations fell drastically, and the population relied on aid from the Allies, particularly the USA and the Soviet Union, to survive. Food riots and unrest occurred, with the Communists exploiting these issues to gain political support.

Marshall Plan

Austria was a beneficiary of the Marshall Plan, receiving significant financial aid that contributed to the recovery of its heavy industry. However, this aid disproportionately benefited certain sectors while neglecting others, such as agriculture, leading to ongoing economic challenges.

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