Austria-Germany Union: A Future United Europe?

Austria and Germany share a history, language, and culture, and at various points in history, have been part of the same empire. In 1918, after World War I, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in a bid to unite with Germany, but this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1938, under the Nazi regime, Austria was annexed into Germany in what was seen as a reunification. However, after World War II, there has been no serious effort among citizens or political parties to unite the two countries, and the Austrian State Treaty forbids such a union.

The Anschluss

By the 1920s, the proposal for unification had strong support in both Austria and Germany, particularly from Austrian citizens on the political left and centre. However, support faded over time, and after Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification could be associated with the Nazis. Hitler, himself an Austrian German, had expressed his desire for a union between Austria and Germany in his earliest writings and speeches.

In 1934, Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in a failed coup. The defeat of the coup caused many leading Austrian Nazis to go into exile in Germany, where they continued their efforts to unite the two countries. In 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced there would be a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on 13 March. Hitler threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On 12 March, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. A plebiscite was held on 10 April, with coercion and threats used to manipulate the vote, resulting in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss.

Austria-Hungary and Germany's military alliance

Austria and Germany have a shared history, language, and culture. The ancestors of Austrians were the Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians). In early history, the Baiuvarii established the Duchy of Bavaria, which included the March of Pannonia that would become Austria in c. 970. From 1156 to 1806, Austria (not including its non-German lands) and other German states under the Kingdom of Germany were parts of the Holy Roman Empire. Austria was part of the German Confederation from 1815 to 1866 and led it.

In 1866, Austria was separated from Germany and the German Confederation was dissolved. The following year, the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire was established and led by Austria. Militarily, Austria (Austria-Hungary) and Germany (the German Empire) were allies. In 1879, the two empires formed the Dual Alliance, a defensive alliance created by treaty to prevent or limit war. They promised to support each other in the case of an attack by Russia and to remain neutral if the other was attacked by another European power.

In the spring of 1882, Italy joined the alliance, and it became known as the Triple Alliance. The Austro-Hungarian government, led by Emperor Franz Josef I, realised that its political and economic future was linked with that of Germany. However, Italy and Austria-Hungary remained wary of one another, and the alliance was little more than wishful thinking.

While the Triple Alliance survived until the outbreak of World War I, its terms were complicated. Austria-Hungary and Germany agreed to come to Italy's aid if it was attacked by France, provided that Italy had not provoked France to military action. If France attacked Germany, Italy pledged to come to Germany's aid. Should Austria-Hungary and Russia go to war over the Balkans, Italy promised to remain neutral.

The Triple Alliance brought Germany into World War I following Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia, an ally of Imperial Russia. In 1914, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo, leading to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia and triggering World War I.

Austria's relationship with East Germany

Austria and Germany share a long history, with the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation encompassing both countries for several centuries. The two nations also share a common language and culture, with German being the official language of both countries.

In the 19th century, nationalism was a powerful force, and by all definitions of culture and ethnicity at the time, Austrians and Germans were one people. However, there were also significant differences between the two nations, and Austria's involvement with the unification process put the Habsburg Monarchy in a dangerous situation, as it competed with Prussia for dominance.

After Austria's defeat in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, relations between the two nations improved, and there were plans to build a railway from Berlin to Istanbul. However, Austria was not annexed by Germany at this time due to fears of Habsburg influence within a unified Germany, as well as the cultural differences between Austrians and Germans.

During the interwar period following World War I, Austria and Germany remained separate and distinct entities, with the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye forbidding their unification. However, in 1938, Nazi Germany, led by Austrian-born Adolf Hitler, annexed Austria in what became known as the Anschluss. This event was widely popular in both countries and was seen as a reunification. Despite this, there has been no serious effort to unite the two countries since World War II, and the Austrian State Treaty forbids such a union.

While I can provide a detailed overview of the relationship between Austria and Germany, there is no specific information in the sources provided about Austria's relationship with East Germany. However, it is worth noting that after World War II, Austria began to develop a separate national identity from Germany, and the majority of Austrians no longer identified as Germans.

Austria's relationship with West Germany

Austria and Germany share a close relationship due to their intertwined histories and cultures. The Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians) are the ancestors of both Austrians and Germans. In early history, the Baiuvarii established the Duchy of Bavaria, which included the March of Pannonia that would become Austria in c. 970. From 555 to 843, the Duchy of Bavaria was ruled by Francia of West Germanic Franks. From 843 to 962, Bavarian Austria came under East Francia (Kingdom of Germany) before separating from the Duchy of Bavaria to become a sovereign state in 1156.

From 1156 to 1806, Austria (excluding its non-German lands) and other German states under the Kingdom of Germany were parts of the Holy Roman Empire, which was officially a German polity from 1512 and mostly led by Austria itself. During this period, Austria was the dominant state within the realm, and the numerous German states within the empire often jostled for power and influence, warring against each other. In the 18th century, the Kingdom of Prussia rose as a rival power to Austria within the Holy Roman Empire. Prussia and Austria fought a series of wars over the province of Silesia (in modern-day southwestern Poland) between 1740 and 1763.

In 1804, Francis II, the Holy Roman Emperor, proclaimed the Austrian Empire as the remaining German states had become clients of Napoleon's French Empire. After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, Austria created the German Confederation, which Prussia and Austria joined, leading to the rise of Pan-Germanism. However, the German Confederation lacked a central authority, which caused diplomatic tension between Prussia and Austria, both of which had ambitions to create a unified Germany under their respective proposals.

Austria proposed uniting the German states in a union centred on and dominated by the Habsburgs, while Prussia aimed to exclude Austria from its affairs and become the central force in unifying the German states. This tension eventually led to the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, which resulted in the dissolution of the Austrian Empire into the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary and the loss of Austrian influence over southern German states.

In 1867, the new North German Confederation was declared by Prussia's chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, excluding Austria-Hungary. After Prussia's victory in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Bismarck announced the creation of the German Empire, again excluding Austria-Hungary. Despite their rivalry and exclusion from the German Empire, Austria-Hungary and the German Empire maintained a military alliance and cooperated in the Partitions of Poland and the Second Schleswig War, resulting in annexations of Polish and Danish territory.

In the 1910s, Austria-Hungary's ambition to turn Serbia into its protectorate facilitated the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and led to the First World War. During this time, both countries continued to pursue unification. In 1918, after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in an attempt to unite with Germany. However, this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, created by the winners of World War I to prevent a dominant German state.

After the war, both countries faced severe economic hardships, hyperinflation, mass unemployment, and political instability. In the 1920s, many Austrians hoped to unite with Germany to solve their economic woes. When Adolf Hitler, an Austrian-born Nazi, rose to power in Germany in 1933, he demanded the right to Anschluss (union) with Austria. This was initially blocked by Benito Mussolini's Italian Fascist government, which feared retrospective territorial demands from Hitler. However, after 1936, Hitler and Mussolini forged a closer relationship in preparation for Germany's expansionist ambitions.

In March 1938, Hitler forcibly annexed Austria into Germany in what became known as the Anschluss, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain. This act of territorial aggression was widely popular in both Germany and Austria and was seen as a reunification. However, it also sparked an outburst of public violence against Austria's Jewish population, who were persecuted and later murdered in the Holocaust.

After World War II, there has been no serious effort to unite Germany and Austria. The Austrian State Treaty forbids such a union, and Austria's constitution requires the country to maintain neutrality. A 1987 survey revealed that only 6% of Austrians identified themselves as 'Germans'. Instead, Austria has developed a separate national identity from Germany, although the two countries continue to cooperate closely in various fields and maintain strong and amicable political relations.

Austria's relationship with the EU

Austria's commitment to neutrality did not prevent it from participating in other European organisations. It became a member of the Council of Europe in 1956 and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1960. In 1956, Austria also signed a customs agreement with the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

During the 1960s, negotiations were held to secure an economic agreement between Austria and the European Economic Community (EEC). These negotiations successfully led to the signing of a free trade agreement with the EEC in 1972.

In 1989, Austria officially applied for accession to the European Communities, and six years later, in 1995, it became a member state of the EU. Austria's entry into the EU removed the physical land border between Germany and Austria, allowing the two countries to further consolidate their already strong links.

Austria has continued to play an active role in the EU. It held the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in 1998, 2006, and 2018. It is also a member of the Schengen Area, having joined in 1997, and adopted the Euro as its currency in 1999.

However, Austria's relationship with the EU has not always been smooth. In 2000, the country faced sanctions from the EU due to the inclusion of the right-wing populist Jörg Haider's FPÖ in the government, which caused strain in its European and international political relations.

Frequently asked questions