Austria's Border With The Soviet Union: Did It Exist?

Following the Anschluss in 1938, Austria was considered an integral part of the Third Reich and, as such, participated in the German invasion of the Soviet Union. After World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France each controlling a portion of the country. The Soviet zone included Burgenland, Lower Austria, and part of Upper Austria. In 1955, the Soviet Union, along with the other occupying powers, signed the Austrian State Treaty, which granted Austria independence and neutrality in the Cold War. Thus, while there was a period when the Soviet Union occupied part of Austria, the two countries never shared a direct border.

The Soviet Union and Austria established diplomatic relations in 1924

The Soviet Union and Austria established diplomatic relations on February 21, 1924, and the former Russian Imperial embassy's building was handed over to the Soviets. However, these relations were discontinued in 1938 following the German annexation of Austria.

After World War II, Austria was occupied by the Allied armies, separated from Germany, and divided into four zones of occupation. The Soviets did not create a separate socialist government in their zone as they did in East Germany. Instead, Austria was required to sign the Austrian State Treaty of 1955, under which it pledged total neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the Soviet Union and the U.S.-led West. The treaty also mandated that Austria never seek to unify with other German-speaking nations and that it perpetually maintain the Soviet War Memorial in Vienna.

In 1968, Austria became the first Western European country to begin importing natural gas from the Soviet Union. Subsequently, Europe's main gas hub was set up at Baumgarten an der March on Austria's eastern border with Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia.

Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the Russian Federation, as the successor state, maintained close relations with Austria. According to the report 'Gazprom's European Web', Austria has long been a favourite country for Soviet (now Russian) commerce, banking, and espionage activities.

The Soviet Union occupied Austria from 1945 to 1955

Austria did not share a border with the Soviet Union. However, following World War II, Austria was occupied by the Allies and divided into four occupation zones, with the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France each taking control of a portion of the country. This occupation lasted from 1945 until 1955, with the Soviet Union occupying eastern Austria.

The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria began in the winter of 1945, when troops from the 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts approached Austria's border from Hungary. After heavy fighting in Hungary, the Red Army launched a counterattack that resulted in the capture of Vienna and the elimination of German forces in the south. The Red Army then advanced towards Linz and Graz in early May, with skirmishes between the Red Army and German soldiers continuing into late May, even after the fighting had ceased elsewhere in Europe.

During the occupation, the Soviet Union exerted significant control over eastern Austria, including the appointment of local mayors and the establishment of a provisional government led by Austrian politician Karl Renner. The Soviets also engaged in systematic sexual violence against women and looting, with "men in Soviet uniform" accounting for more than 90% of registered crime in 1946 according to Austrian police records. The Soviets also imposed heavy economic exploitation on Austria, expropriating over 450 formerly German-owned businesses and placing Austrian oil fields under Soviet administration.

In 1955, the Soviet Union, along with the other occupying powers, signed the Austrian State Treaty, agreeing to withdraw their troops in exchange for Austria's promise to remain neutral during the Cold War. On October 25, 1955, the last occupation troops left, and Austria regained its independence.

Austria was divided into four occupation zones after World War II

The division of Austria into occupation zones was part of the post-war reorganisation of Europe, and the country's status became a controversial topic during the early Cold War. While Austria was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, it managed to avoid some of the harshest treatments imposed on defeated Axis powers. For example, Austria did not lose any territory, and Austrians were not subjected to ethnic cleansing or mass deportations.

The Western Allies and the Soviet Union had differing goals for Austria. The Western powers sought to prevent Soviet expansionism and promote economic recovery, while the Soviet Union sought to exploit Austria economically and spread its political influence. The Soviet Union's occupation policies were shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was Germany's first victim but also bore responsibility for participating in Nazi aggression.

During the occupation, the Soviet Union expropriated over 450 formerly German-owned businesses, and by 1955, the majority of these companies were close to bankruptcy. The Soviet Union's economic policies in Austria were motivated by the need to rebuild its own industry, which had been ravaged by the war. However, the failure of these businesses and the realisation that Austria was not as attractive ideologically as it was economically, led to a shift in Soviet policy. By 1948, the Soviet Union had abandoned the idea of establishing a separate socialist government in its zone, as it had done in East Germany.

The occupation of Austria ended in 1955 with the Austrian State Treaty, which granted the country full independence in exchange for a pledge of perpetual neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the East and West. All occupation troops left the country by October 1955, and Austria successfully reintegrated into Western Europe.

The Soviet Union did not try to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria

Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945. In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones and jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna was similarly subdivided, but the central district was collectively administered by the Allied Control Council.

The Red Army occupied only parts of Austria, including the capital, while Anglo-American troops entered from Germany and Italy. Despite Moscow treating Austria as a defeated Axis power, it maintained that Austria was a victim of Germany. As a result, Austria avoided some of the harshest consequences of Germany's defeat.

The Soviet Union's primary interest in Austria was economic. It expropriated over 450 formerly German-owned businesses, and by 1955, the majority of these companies were close to bankruptcy. The Soviet Union also took control of Austrian oil fields and placed them under the management of the Soviet Mineral Oil Administration (SMV).

The Soviet Union's focus on economic exploitation, rather than political control, can be explained by the country's geopolitical priorities. Moscow was more concerned with having a friendly regime in neighbouring countries that shared a border with the Soviet Union, such as Romania or Poland.

The scale of political violence experienced by Austrians was more limited compared to other countries occupied by the Red Army. By 1955, when the Red Army withdrew from Austria, the Soviets had arrested 2,400 Austrians, with 1,250 prosecuted for various crimes, including war crimes and everyday criminal activity.

The Soviet Union's occupation policies in Austria were shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which guaranteed Austria's independence. This declaration, along with the fact that Austria was not a high priority for the Kremlin, meant that the Soviet Union did not attempt to impose a communist dictatorship in the country.

Austria pledged neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union

Austria was occupied by the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France from 1945 until 1955. During this time, the country was divided into four occupation zones. This occupation ended with the Austrian State Treaty, which came into force on July 27, 1955, and saw the withdrawal of all occupation troops by October 25 that year.

Austria's neutrality was a key component of the country regaining its independence. On May 15, 1955, the USSR, the US, the UK, and France signed a treaty that officially ended the state of war in Austria. The Austrian government had to declare the country's military neutrality in exchange for the withdrawal of the occupation forces. This was a direct consequence of the Allied occupation, and the Soviet Union, in particular, would not have agreed to the State Treaty without Austria's pledge of neutrality.

Austria's neutrality was further solidified on October 26, 1955, when the Austrian Parliament enacted a Declaration of Neutrality, declaring the country permanently neutral. This declaration was made voluntarily by the Republic of Austria and was enshrined in the country's constitution. The declaration stated that Austria would not join any military alliances and would not allow foreign military bases on its territory.

Austria's neutrality has become a deeply ingrained part of the country's identity, with polls as recent as March 2022 showing strong support for maintaining neutrality. The country's commitment to neutrality has had an impact on its international relations and memberships, including controversy over its membership in the European Union and its delay in joining NATO's Partnership for Peace program until after Russia had done so.

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