Austria's Evolution: Post-Cold War Transformations

Austria's evolution after the Cold War was shaped by its unique position as a neutral country. This neutrality was a precondition for the Soviet Union's agreement to withdraw its troops from the country in 1955, marking the end of the East-West occupation. Austria's neutrality was also influenced by Austrian considerations, and it continued to be a defining feature of the country's foreign policy in the post-Cold War era.

Austria's location near the Iron Curtain allowed it to develop into a nerve centre between the West and the East. Following the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 and the Prague Spring in 1968, Austria granted asylum to refugees. In 1995, Austria joined the European Union, and it has since become a host country for many international organisations, including the UN and OPEC.

Austria's evolution after the Cold War was also influenced by its history, including its experience as a battleground during World War II and its occupation by the Allies. The country's political system was characterised by the Proporz, with posts of political importance split evenly between members of the two largest parties, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ).

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Austria's political landscape was marked by the rise of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and the decline of the ÖVP-SPÖ coalition. The FPÖ's growing popularity led to a coalition government with the ÖVP in 2000, which caused national and international outcry. Despite these shifts, Austria remained a stable democracy, and its economy recovered and grew in the post-Cold War era.

The Soviet occupation of Austria

In the winter of 1945, troops from the 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts approached Austria's border from Hungary. The fighting in Hungary was brutal, with around 1 million Soviet troops suffering 484,300 losses, including 140,000 killed or captured. The Germans launched their last major offensive of the war at Lake Balaton in March 1945, but the 3rd Ukrainian Front launched a counterattack that resulted in the elimination of the bulk of German forces in the south and the capture of Vienna. After taking Vienna, Soviet troops advanced towards Linz and Graz in early May. Skirmishes between the Red Army and German soldiers, who sought to surrender to the Western Allies, lasted into late May. The Red Army suffered 94,185 casualties in Austria, with 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded.

The Red Army occupied only parts of Austria, including the capital, while Anglo-American troops entered from Germany and Italy. Thereafter, France, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union divided Austria into four occupation zones. Although Moscow treated Austria as a defeated Axis power, it adhered to the line that Austria was a victim of Germany. As a result, Austria avoided losing territory and its population avoided the fate of ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe, who were expelled to Germany or deported to the Soviet Union for slave labour. The Western Allies also successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans to impose burdensome war reparations on Austria.

However, the Western Allies consented to Moscow's demand that the Soviets should be entitled to German assets in Austria in their zone of occupation. Moscow considered all property with German owners or investors at the end of the war to be German property. As a result, Austria ended up paying more than five times what Stalin originally demanded. Local governments were obliged to feed and clothe the Red Army, which was an enormous burden. Moscow deployed NKVD (Soviet secret police) teams to extract reparations through requisitions, seizing industrial plants and production installations. In June 1946, 30% of Austria's national budget went into covering occupation costs. From 1946 to 1955, Austria paid the Soviet Union 36.8 billion Schillings, or two percent of its accumulated GDP.

The Soviet repressive apparatus acted with considerable restraint in Austria, especially when compared to other countries occupied by the Red Army. This was partly because Moscow did not fully control Austria and partly because Austria was not a high priority for the Kremlin. The Soviet leadership had sustained the army's morale with vicious anti-German hate propaganda, but as they closed in on the Third Reich, the tone of Soviet propaganda abruptly changed. The most vehement anti-German propagandists were criticised in the Soviet press for "going too far". Soviet propaganda began to emphasise that ordinary Germans and Austrians were not responsible for Nazi crimes.

Soviet commanders issued orders to discourage criminal conduct as soon as troops entered Austria. On April 4, 1945, a directive was issued to all frontline soldiers, proclaiming that Austria was Hitler's first victim and that the Red Army had entered the country to liberate it and destroy German forces. The directive urged troops not to conflate Austrian civilians with German occupiers, and to respect their traditions, families, and private property. However, widespread looting and sexual assaults still occurred. Many soldiers seized food and cooked it themselves, or forced civilians to prepare it for them. Stalin had allowed soldiers and officers to send parcels to the Soviet Union, but the special military currency they received was useless, so they plundered goods to send home.

Order was gradually restored in the Soviet zone in the summer and fall of 1945. The number of troops was reduced, and frontline troops were placed under stricter control in encampments and barracks. Occupation troops became comprised of more disciplined and better-trained troops, most of whom were from the NKVD. As the war turned into occupation, sexual relations between Soviet men and Austrian women became less physically violent and more transactional, and in many instances, consensual. According to historian Barbara Stelzl-Marx, there were around 8,000 so-called "soldier's children" born in Austria between 1946 and 1953, but the real number may have been around 30,000.

The Soviets pulled out of Austria in 1955, along with the Western Allies, in exchange for Austria's promises that it would remain neutral in the Cold War. The Soviet Union released Austrian prisoners at a faster rate than the Germans, but the last Austrians were not released until 1955.

The Austrian State Treaty

Following World War II, Austria was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union and divided into four zones, with Vienna being subdivided as well. This occupation lasted far longer than anyone anticipated due to the breakdown of the wartime "Grand Alliance" and the emergence of the Cold War. Negotiations over Austria's final status began in 1947 but were stalled by tense Cold War relations and the Korean War.

The death of Joseph Stalin in 1953 and the rise of his successors, who launched a "peace offensive" to reduce international tensions, created a more favourable climate for negotiations. Talks with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov secured a breakthrough in February 1955. The Austrian State Treaty was signed by representatives of the governments of the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United States, and France, agreeing to grant Austria independence and arrange for the withdrawal of all occupation forces.

The treaty included several important points. It established Austria's neutrality, creating a buffer zone between the East and West during the Cold War. It prohibited any future political union with Germany (Anschluss) and forbade Nazi and fascist organisations. The treaty also recognised the minority rights of the Slovene and Croat minorities in Austria.

The Austrian neutrality

The Austrian State Treaty of 1955 declared Austria's permanent neutrality. This was a direct result of the country's occupation by the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France from 1945 to 1955. The treaty, signed by these four powers, granted Austria independence and facilitated the withdrawal of all occupation forces.

Austria's neutrality was a key condition of the Soviet Union, which would not have agreed to the treaty otherwise. The country's status as a buffer zone between the East and the West was a unique situation in postwar Europe, and its neutrality has remained a deeply ingrained part of Austrian identity.

The Austrian Parliament formally declared the country's permanent neutrality on 26 October 1955, stating:

> "In all future times Austria will not join any military alliances and will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her territory."

Austria's neutrality presented some challenges and paradoxes. For instance, the country had to balance its constitutional obligation to national defence with its commitment to neutrality. Additionally, maintaining neutrality sometimes required forming alliances, such as economic unions with the European Union, while avoiding military alliances.

Despite these complexities, Austria's neutrality has been largely successful. The country has engaged in UN-led peacekeeping and humanitarian missions and joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1995. However, Austria's commitment to neutrality has caused controversy regarding its membership in the European Union and its response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Austrian independence

Austria's road to independence was a long and tumultuous one. In 1938, Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany by Adolf Hitler, becoming a sub-national division. However, after World War II, the Allies recognised the country's independence from Germany as a result of the Vienna Offensive. On 27 April 1945, Karl Renner, an Austrian socialist politician, declared Austria's independence from Nazi Germany. This declaration was confirmed by the Berlin Declaration on 5 June 1945.

Following its independence, Austria was jointly occupied by the Western Allies (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) and the Soviet Union. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna, the capital, being subdivided and collectively administered by the Allied Control Council. This occupation lasted until 1955, and Austria's status during this time was a controversial subject in the Cold War.

The first attempts to negotiate a treaty for Austrian independence failed due to the Allies' desire to see a peace treaty with Germany first. The development of the Cold War further diminished the likelihood of a treaty. However, the climate for negotiations improved following the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953 and the warming of relations known as the Khrushchev Thaw.

Finally, on 15 May 1955, the Austrian State Treaty, also known as the Austrian Independence Treaty, was signed in Vienna. This treaty established Austria as a sovereign and democratic state, with the country regaining its full independence. The last occupation troops left on 25 October 1955, and Austria declared its perpetual neutrality.

An important point in the treaty was the prohibition of Anschluss, or Austria's political union with Germany. This was in recognition of Austria's role as the first victim of Nazi aggression, despite its involvement in Nazi crimes. The treaty also expressly detailed the minority rights of the Slovene and Croat minorities in Austria.

Austria's independence and neutrality have been key aspects of its foreign policy since 1955. The country has shaped its foreign relations based on its neutral status, although this definition of neutrality has evolved over time. For example, Austria granted overflight rights for the UN-sanctioned action against Iraq in 1991 and has participated in EU and NATO-led missions.

The Austrian security policy

Austria's security policy evolved gradually after the Second World War, shaped by its geographical position during the Cold War and the neutrality policy adopted in 1955. The country's security policy was also influenced by its history of occupation by Nazi Germany and subsequent division into four occupation zones by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.

Post-World War II

Austria's security policy was initially focused on national defence and preparing for potential future wars in Europe. However, the political leadership, scarred by the country's recent defeats, hoped to avoid future conflicts. This is evident from a 1958 discussion in the Parliamentary Defence Committee, where Chancellor Julius Raab described the military's main assignment as serving as "an educational tool for youth".

Post-Cold War

After the Cold War, Austria redefined its neutrality by adapting to the changing international environment. This redefinition involved a shift in attitudes towards international conflicts and a rejection of economic neutrality principles.

By joining the European Union, Austria, as a perpetually neutral state, committed to conforming with the obligations of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. This led to legal changes that moved the country away from traditional neutrality towards a more alliance-free or post-neutral status.

The Austrian Armed Forces played a significant role in the country's security policy, with a focus on peacekeeping and international operations. However, there were debates about the effectiveness of these forces due to their small size and limited resources.

Austria's security policy also included a strong commitment to neutrality, which remained important to Austrian society despite the country's pro-European attitude.

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